


Rwby: Her Way

by AlmaArachnidFriendEmpress



Series: Rwby - Her Way Series [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Awkward Cinder (So Cute!), Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Badass Girl Trio Like Charlie's Angels, Canon Compliant, F/F, Giving Cinder A Solid Ass Backstory Because RT Hasn't Yet, Good Cinder Fall, More Nuanced Cinder, Neo Redemption, Redemption, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:49:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 67,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26788483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmaArachnidFriendEmpress/pseuds/AlmaArachnidFriendEmpress
Summary: Cinder Fall has fallen from all grace after her utter failure at Haven, and her defeat at the hands of Raven Branwen. But the hard landing at the bottom jars her soul and mind, awakening thoughts and memories long repressed, and even forgotten. But most of all, it sparks the single, momentous realization inside her: that, in joining with Salem, the Queen of Grimm, Cinder Fall has only traded one heel on her throat for another. One Master to serve...for another. And it is high time, Cinder determines, that she gets back the life she wished for: a life for herself. A life of freedom - and yes, also power. Power to keep that freedom, and protect whoever she spends that freedom in love with from the wrath of her former Master - Queen Salem.But to go against her Master, truly and fully, Cinder will need more power than ever, as well as genuine friends...and more.
Relationships: Cinder Fall/OC
Series: Rwby - Her Way Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964404
Comments: 38
Kudos: 24





	1. The Fall, And The Hard Landing

Cinder Fall emerged from the ice into cold waters.

Every inch of her hurt. Every bone, limb and muscle.

She crawled out onto cave floor. She was bleeding and broken. Bruised and battered.

A hand, her teeth gritted as she tried to summon her Maiden powers. Nothing but a flicker.

She slammed her fist on the ground.

A ripple of her power rolled across the cave floor, and broken boulders fell to reveal light. An opening.

She looked up, far above to the Vault proper.

Silence. Emptiness.

Cinder struggled to her feet, swaying and holding herself. Agony.

She staggered out of the cavern, out the side of the mountain.

Hard, cold rain battered down on her, drenching her hair and soaking her torn to shreds dress.

She couldn't go more than few feet before she collapsed again with a heavy grunt.

Cinder lay there, face in the mud, blood running with the rainwater.

And she thought. She reflected.

Raven Branwen had beaten her. Destroyed her.

Again, Cinder had been beaten.

Rage and despair filled her then.

At all her failures of life as of late.

First it had been Qrow Branwen stopping her from completing her full transfer of the Maiden powers. Then, it had been the Fall of Beacon, and Ruby Rose taking her eye and her arm. Burning her face away - along with eighty percent of the front of her body.

Months of recovery, helplessness, inability to even speak, to barely even _breathe_ through the burnt lungs inside her, and of course the abuse she had to take from the rest who followed Salem.

Salem.

All of Cinder's life crashing down around her was because of _her_! If Cinder had never chosen to follow, to _obey_ , to make herself subservient to that woman, she never would have gotten stuck in this string of failures and abuses and traumatic injuries!

Cinder had joined because of the promise of power - power to protect herself, to do as she wished in this world after a lifetime of being denied it - but had Salem delivered on that promise? Hardly!

All Salem had gotten Cinder was more abuse, more pain - worse than anything her stepmother and stepsisters had ever done to her as a child - and a restrictive leash around her neck every bit as tight as the one from childhood.

Cinder was _not_ powerful, she was _not_ free to do as she wished: she only used her power to do as _Salem_ wished, when she wished it used.

Following Salem had been foolish. One of Cinder's worst mistakes in life. All it had done was lead her to ruin, turned her into a...a _follower_. A dog on a leash, being led around, jerked about.

Cinder recalled dreams of a girl, who had vowed to never let herself be put under heel of others again, after discovering her semblance...and using it to free herself of stepmother's heel pressing on her throat. Yet here she was again, as an adult, with yet another woman's heel on her throat.

Cinder had the Maiden's powers to herself - but she also had this Grimm arm fused to her stump. Cinder acutely felt that Grimm arm. Felt the pulsing life in it, malicious and destructive. It was heady, it was strong...but it wasn't _hers_. It was not _her_ power, her strength, like the Maiden Power was - earned and acquired with patience and planning and struggle; it was only there because Salem had forced her into attaching it to her body!

She had the power to do whatever she wanted in this world, but she was threatened and ordered into not using a flicker of it - unless _ordered to!_

She thought back on Raven's words, about how she had turned herself into a monster just for power. Well, true enough - but what was worse than that in Cinder's eyes was that she had allowed herself to be _mutilated_ by another cruel woman again.

How had she fallen so low? How had she ever forgotten her girlhood promise to herself? All the struggles she had gone through just to escape from a life of pain and terror? A life as a worked-to-death-daily _slave_ to abusive family members, locked up in some mansion, but denied any of its splendor for herself?

Cinder...had definitely fallen. She had become drunk on power, blinded by Salem's promises in lieu of her own desires in life - _for life_. She had let herself be stepped on, shoved down again - made obedient and meek, like a nice little house maid should be.

But no longer.

Cinder was done with that _bitch_. She was done with living with that heel on her throat again! She was done with following orders and holding back because someone _else_ told her to - as with the restrictive _orders_ not to kill Ruby Rose! The brat who'd stolen her arm, her eye, burned her body to hell and back in an instant! Just as her stepmother had always been able to just walk up to her, and mutilate her as she pleased with no effort...

And she was done with working toward someone else's grand goal in life; it was time she started to remember her own again.

Cinder would free herself of all of that crap, and, as she had promised herself as a child, she would make life go her way for once.

Her strength, her power, her dreams. Her freedom, her wishes, her life.

Never anyone else's. Never again.

Salem could go screw herself!

Cinder was _done_ living for other people! It was time she got back to living for _herself_.

As soon as Cinder could get up the strength to summon a superheated, glass blade, she was going to slice off that damn Grimm mutilation of hers, too! She would acquire a proper, combat-worthy prosthetic for herself and then...go from there. Where exactly she would go, she had no idea - just as she'd never had a clue as a child, after freeing herself of her stepfamily - but she would. After all, it had worked out okay for her as a child, hadn't it, in the years between fleeing home, and being picked up by Salem's agents...

Footsteps.

"Gods...are- are you okay?"

Cinder reacted, tried to bring that damn Grimm arm forward so she could push herself up properly.

A gasp. A thud.

Cinder finally lifted her head, managed to see a fruit basket spilled, and a woman in robes before her.

She was young, perhaps a few years older than herself, with brown hair in a wrap with stray locks on either side. She had a soft, kind face.

Though, right then it was full of horror and fear.

Wide, gray eyes...a hand clasped over mouth...

Cinder activated her Maiden powers, reaching into those depths of infinite, ancient magic power...

And then Cinder's mind flashed to a little girl in a dark room, huddled in a corner, with eyes like that and her hands clutched to her chest, as a sharp and cruel woman advanced on her with a knife in hand...

Terror, panic, pleading...

Cinder let her power go, and she collapsed into the mud again.

This time, she lost all consciousness.

* * *

Cinder woke up in a small room.

She was laying on a small bed, warm and soft.

Blankets covered her. A fluffy pillow under her head.

She felt dry, she felt...better.

Relief flooded her body. A smile came over her face. Her Aura had done its work after recharging; she was healed.

A few new scars were to be had, but that wasn't anything to care about; she was used to having scars.

Cinder sat up in the bed and brought her hands up in front of her.

Human, and Grimm. Her limb, and Salem's. Her will, and Salem's. Her strength, and Salem's. Her power, and Salem's.

Cinder focused, creating a scimitar of pure burning flames and earth with her Maiden powers.

She held out the hated Grimm arm, twisting her lips at it in a snarl. She raised her blade, lined it up to cleave an inch or two back from the end of the stump, and brought it down at superhuman speeds.

She stopped just short of making contact. What was she thinking? She couldn't do this. She _needed_ this thing: it contained her Maiden powers! She couldn't lose one without losing the other. The hated container for the loved contents...

Cinder clenched the Grimm arm and slammed it against the nearest wall. _Damnit!_

_Damn Salem. Damn Grimm. Damn it all!_

Her strike had attracted attention. The door opened, and in quickly came the woman who had found her outside the vault.

"Are you all right? I'm Flora. How are you feeling?"

Cinder stood, and immediately fell back on her ass onto the bed, sitting there awkwardly as a shock of pain rippled through her.

"Did you...."

"I didn't do anything to you," Flora spoke quickly.

 _Then what is this pain?_ Cinder looked down at her Grimm arm. It was trembling, vibrating. Claws were flexing without any control. _Is it you? Are you actually trying to hurt me again? Give_ me _trouble?_ Cinder lit up her human hand with Maiden fires and savagely drove her palm into the Grimm arm. She held it. The arm thrashed and stretched, emitting black smoke.

Cinder released the fires, drew her hand back.

The pain faded, and the arm went still.

She huffed quick breaths, she let a high noise escape her lips - and she smiled.

"You n-need help," Flora stammered from the doorway, wide-eyed. Horrified. "We need to get that thing off of you-"

"No!" Cinder snapped, head whipping up. _I'd love nothing more than to tear it off and throw it away...but I need it. Salem made sure of it: just like my stepmother once...made sure I needed her shelter and food just to stay alive. God, how the hell did I get this way? I traded one Master for another! Where did I lose my way, when did I start to forget, when did I...?_

"All right, all right." Flora gazed at her, soft and calm. She nodded. "Alright - you'd know better about how that thing works than me, anyways. It might kill you to take it off."

Cinder snorted. But inside, trouble squirmed in her stomach. _I wouldn't put that past Salem. It's always hurting me, always already trying to get one over me - who knows if it might decide to try and strangle me to death if I actually try to get rid of it again? If I hadn't stopped myself..._

"Do you need anything? Food, water?"

Cinder looked up. She hesitated, lips parted. Then she snorted again, shaking her head and falling back onto the bed. "Just a few minutes of peace and quiet - that's all."

Flora nodded, cheeks slightly pink. "Right! Of course. The state you were in, anybody would...I'll be here if you _do_ need anything, though."

"Right," Cinder imitated, lips curving. She waved a hand airily; Flora beat a hasty retreat, closing the door behind her.

Hardly half an hour had passed her by like this, however, when she started feeling frustrated and antsy.

She had to get up, go somewhere - do something. Plan, act! Salem was going to learn of her betrayal and abandonment eventually, if she didn't somehow already know (sometimes Cinder suspected...)

Cinder had to go, she had to act. She had to have all of her...ducks in a row. The phrase made her lips quirk. She had always loved animals, had a great affinity with them - because of her semblance, or the other way around? Regardless, it was so right and natural: animals had saved her life, freed her from her stepfamily's mansion, years and years ago. Because Cinder had asked them to, pleaded with them to, from out the window.

The animals of the world weren't the only things that had heard her that night, and come to answer her call for liberation...

 _What am I doing?_ Cinder shook her head and launched herself to her feet, wobbling and flashing a hand out to the dresser to catch herself. _I haven't even thought of those years in...years. Why am I loafing around doing it now? I need to be doing something!_ _Once Salem learns I'm not going to be her little servant anymore, she's going to..._

To do everything in her power to kill her for it.

Cinder needed her power, her full strength, and she needed a plan to survive the storm that was going to come roaring after her soon.

She breathed, let her hand fall to her side, and strode out the room with only a single small stumble.

"Oh, you decided to get up!" Flora exclaimed as Cinder entered the living room.

Cinder quirked a smirk. "Obviously." She eyed the woman up and down - those cheeks turned rosy again, those eyes flickered away. "If you have a spare one of those, I'd like one - I'm going out. I won't be back for a few hours yet, I think."

"I- of course!" Flora scampered over to a closet and pulled out some robes, neat and clean. She held them out to Cinder, who snatched them up and put them on immediately. "What're you going to-"

Cinder held up her human hand. "Trust me: you don't want to know. Just wait for me to get back, would you?"

"Of- course. I'll be happy to host you as long as you need," Flora said slowly, nodding.

"Wonderful." Cinder paused. She lifted her hated grimm arm; she watched Flora flinch with fear and disgust. It was...comforting, that they felt the same way about the thing. "Would you happen to have any bandage wraps? Obviously I wouldn't want to be seen walking about with this thing on me."

Flora's face showed pure softness. "Of course - that's totally understandable. I have some back here - one second!"

Cinder waited with hand on hip, watching the woman disappear down the hall. Flora returned moments later, handed over a roll of cloth. Cinder wrapped up her grimm hand, layered and good.

"Perfect," she remarked, satisfied. She gave Flora a nod. "I'll be back."

Cinder pulled the hood up and strode out of the house, and began the trek across the grass and mud toward the rainy, dirty streets of lower Mistral at base of the mountain.

There was a place here, a group here, that could be of help to Cinder. It wasn't a group she had had business with before, but she was confident she could gain their services, all the same.

Crowds and umbrellas were good and plentiful enough to hide her.

She stopped and eyed a broadcast on a holoscreen that caught her attention. The Mistral Police had worked quickly. She was a wanted woman already (well, more wanted). As were Salem's underlings, those pathetic mongrels groveling at that bitch's feet...too weak and blind to see that they would get nothing from her but loss and torment. Salem was not a path to power or victory; she was a path to defeat and destruction. Humiliation and degradation. Abuse and trauma. There was no freedom through her, no way to your own desires - because all she cared about was that you served her in _hers_.

Cinder walked down the streets some more until she saw what she was looking for: the spider web on the door frame.

She entered the tavern, walked purposefully toward the back, where a large woman in purple sat flanked by two hired goons.

"That's far enough."

Cinder curled a lip, just so, as the two goons came around the table to stand between her and their employer. She eyed the woman past them, ignoring them both. She wished she'd thought to ask Flora for some lien - but she hadn't, and she was kicking herself in the ass for it. _Oh well: I'll have to make do with what else I have on me._

"You're Little Miss Malachite?" she addressed the large woman, raising an eyebrow, cocking a smirk fully.

"I'm Lil' Miss _Gonna Skin You Alive_ if you ever take that tone with me again." Miss Malachite retorted, glaring past her guards. "If you're here looking to do business with me...well, honey, you're starting off on the _wrong_ foot there. I'd weigh your next words more carefully, and give me a reason to let you sit down for even a minute of my valuable time. Something monetary, something hefty, if you catch my meaning..."

Cinder's fingers fiddled at her side, itching to burst into Maiden flames...But no.

She didn't need to go that far just yet.

Cinder cocked her head, raised a hand and gave an airy wave. "How are your daughters, I wonder? Melanie and Miltiades? Are they still working security for that low-life Junior down in Vale?"

Miss Malachite's gaze hardened. Then, she breathed - slapped a hand to the table. Her two guards parted, retreating back to her side behind the table again. The big woman's eyes met Cinder's. Deadly and cold. "And how would you possibly know something like that?"

"I might be inclined to tell you - for five minutes of your time," Cinder replied haughtily.

"A trade, then, is it? No lien?" Miss Malachite's murder-eyes stabbed at every inch of Cinder. Silence. Then- "Sit that disrespectful, scrawny ass of yours down and start talking. If what you have to say doesn't royally piss me off, I might actually be inclined to give you your time."

"Then we have a deal." Cinder fell into the chair loftily, hands in her lap, chin raised. Smile wide. She waited a good ten seconds before beginning to speak again. "I think it might interest you to know that I'm not the only one in possession of such...sentimentally sensitive information. Such a closely guarded secret - but not close enough. I could give you a few names, and you could decide what to do about them..."

"I'm listening."

Cinder leaned forward, crossing a leg and resting her hands on her knee. "Arthur Watts, Tyrian Callows, Hazel Rainart, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black, and possibly Adam Taurus. But who knows, really, on that last one?"

"Most of those names have made it into the news recently," Miss Malachite spoke, contemplative. "Very big names. And how would you know these individuals are all in possession of this same information?"

 _And here...is where I really give her the information I have to trade._ "Because we all acquired it from the same source. _For_ the same source. Something to be cashed in on later, if need be. A useful card to tuck away for a rainy day."

Miss Malachite was the one to lean forward now, eyes glistening. Her mind was working, connecting dots, seeing what was unsaid. But the only pertinent question to make it out of her mouth was... "What source?"

Cinder's mouth twisted with disgust, and hatred to make her tremble. Her lips moved, in a near-silent whisper.

" _Salem._ "

Miss Malachite's eyebrow lifted. "Salem? Never heard of any Salem - in the world over of underworld figures."

"That's because she isn't some scummy underworld crime boss," Cinder hissed. "She's...a dark queen. She is everything evil, and horrid, and wrong with this world. She _is_ fear, and death, and _terror_ , and _she_ commands the Grimm. Because she herself...is a grimm monstrosity. Humanoid, powerful, ancient, and sapient. I don't know her origins, I don't know exactly how long ago she came into this world, but I know...what she intends to do with it."

"A Grimm Queen? A humanoid Grimm?" Miss Malachite scoffed a bit. She shook her head. "Leave that sort of talk to fairy tales and horror stories told to little children scared of what's under their beds."

Cinder's leg slid off the other and slammed down. She slapped both her fists to the table, face seizing, pushing herself damn near across it. " _Salem is real! I've seen what she's capable of, the things she can do, create, and I know what she's planning! And-_ " She froze. She swallowed. "And I can prove it all to you."

Miss Malachite leaned in, too, putting her face right in Cinder's, hard. "Then prove it. Prove even a single word of it, and I won't wave it all away as fearmongering and delusions."

Cinder glanced around, then she reached for her bandaged arm; she unraveled them, letting the claws free on the table.

Miss Malachite looked down at the extremity with disgust, with shock and fear - but well-hidden. "What is _this_?"

"A bit of proof."

"Proof you're absolutely _insane_ , twisted beyond all recognition! How did you even- how could anyone even-"

"Salem did this to me!" Cinder hissed. "She commands Grimm, she creates them, and she controls them! She put this on me, as a means of control as much as a way to grant me a unique...strength."

"And you still have that damn devil thing?"

"If I give it up, I'll lose its...strengths," Cinder said carefully, hating to admit that, even despite that she'd squared it with herself already. "So for now, I am prepared to keep it - to use it against Salem, and her followers. As I once was, myself."

"But you're not now?"

"No. I'm not now. I left her, I left it all. But in doing so, I am risking...the worst, darkest, most apocalyptic wrath coming down on me than anyone in this world could imagine. That...is why I've come to you now," Cinder continued, whispering, hardly noticing the urgency bleeding into her tone. "If I have any hope of evading her, of surviving longer than a week, then I need...I need safety, I need protection, I need allies. I need...help."

"Assuming I believe any of this - and I damn well don't - why in the hell do you think _I_ should risk bringing that apocalyptic, monstrous Grimm wrath down on _my head_ by doing you any kind of favors here?"

"Because the alternative is worse: her forces, her Grimm hordes, coming after you for knowingly associating with me...and me not being in your corner to give you an edge against her. An edge in information, in knowledge, and in power of my own. They will slaughter you, they will slaughter every last one of you in this building, and in your homes, your little children in their beds, your infants in their cribs - your twin daughters in Vale, for once associating with me, even indirectly through one Roman Torchwick - and _there is nothing you will be able to do about it!_ " Cinder breathed, harsh, chest squeezing. "Unless...you take...me...in. Take me in, and you might survive what's to come - along with your daughters."

Miss Malachite was still for a long time, her eyes searching Cinder's face. Then, she sat back, breathed a sigh. "Well, you're either delusional, or an extremely good actress. But, either way, with that damn monstrosity of yours - put it away now, in fact, please - and with the at least _known_ factors of all those big names you listed off that work for this...Salem...Grimm Queen or not, she seems to be one twisted lady. And a lady with such a wide array of agents across the continents, including yourself - formerly, of course, as you said - who's willing to experiment on her own followers to such an extreme, vile degree..."

Cinder held her breath, motionless.

"A lady like that," Miss Malachite finished carefully. "isn't one I'd like turning her attention on me without a trump card up my sleeve here. You clearly do have all the information, and you're a very formidable fighter in your own right - so, sure, I think it's in my best interests to take you on."

"The best interests of your entire organization, and your entire family," Cinder pressed further.

"Yes, certainly," Miss Malachite nodded tightly. "I'll at least believe you about that much."

"Good. So, I...am under your protection now?"

"Yes, you are." Miss Malachite nodded again. "At least, for the time being - if you're willing to give up the whereabouts of this Salem, I can have some agents of mine go and verify the rest of your fantastical claims. They're quite discrete, some with very powerful semblances to aid in recon and stealth."

Cinder snorted, shaking her head and slumping in her chair. "Feel free; I'll be happy to tell you where you can find her."

And she did.

Miss Malachite's interest was piqued considerably. "The Dragon Continent? Of course a Grimm Queen of yours would reside in the heart of Grimm territories - the most infested, dangerous place on this planet. If you aren't just hoping my agents will end up dead over there-"

"I'm not." Cinder slid her scroll across the table. "The exact coordinates of her castle are here. Copy them, let no one see them. Or know that you have them."

"Well, duh - honey, I wasn't born yesterday, was I?"

Cinder pressed her lips together and stood, snatching her scroll up after the woman had finished tapping the numbers into her own. "For the time being, I don't think it's safe for me to just stay here - out in the open. If any of Salem's agents come here looking for me...no, when they do - and soon, I'm sure - I don't want to be caught standing right out for them to see me. I'd rather they continue to think I'm dead - as they should, now, I'm fairly certain."

"Smart. Stay elsewhere, yes - and don't worry, I won't tell anyone you were in here, let alone the rest of our arrangement. To the world, you're still just as dead as before you walked in here."

"Good." Cinder nodded, and quickly left the tavern.

* * *

Cinder trudged back into the house on Mistral's forest edge at the mountain base.

"How...was your time out?" Flora asked her hesitantly. A fake attempt at friendliness. Cheer.

Still...Cinder allowed a smile as she cast off her hood and sat at the table in the kitchen. Free of the oppression and abuses of Salem and her followers, and now armed with a solid plan of action, she...she felt free enough to start smiling again. Genuinely. She told herself to relax, to enjoy life a little now (now that she could). That was the whole reason for doing this in the first place, after all: to take life back. Freedom back. "It was productive."

"I- made us dinner. I don't know if you like..." Flora came forward with a tray. A bowl of soup, cheese and bread, and some sliced fruits from the basket that had been dropped earlier that day. Because of Cinder's shocking, disgusting appearance.

Cinder felt a twinge inside her. She straightened up in the chair and lay her human arm on the table. Her bandaged Grimm limb hung loosely. "I like it," she replied, truthful as she eyed the tray's contents.

It looked and smelled delightful. Better than what she could remember eating in childhood, and certainly better than anything she'd gotten the chance to eat in her time under Salem's thumb - save her stint at Beacon; there had been so many good foods there, and she had made sure to partake in as much of it as she could.

Flora set the tray and utensils in front of Cinder, then sat across from her with her own bowl of soup.

Cinder bit into the cheese and bread, and savored it.

It was _really_ good...

Taking up Flora's offer wasn't a mistake. Beyond convenience of free room and board, and furthering the false notion in Salem and Ozpin's minds and followers both that Cinder was dead and gone...Cinder thought this wouldn't be a bad place to spend a few weeks.

Just as she had once gratefully spent some time under the roof of another welcoming woman as a girl - two women, actually - after getting away from her family. Before Salem. A brief period of respite, of purest pleasures and joys, and not a worry or a fear else in her mind. Well, not too many (Jenna and Lisari had done much to try and soothe them while she had stayed with them).

Jenna...Lisari...sitting across from her, smiling at her, holding hands together...so happy, but so worried for her...

"Thank you," Cinder murmured, so quiet she hardly knew if she'd actually said it, or if it was just in her head.

"You're welcome," a soft, kind voice came to her from across the table. Just as it once had before.

It left Cinder feeling...much like it had then.

She bowed her head and began consuming her meal in earnest - and earnest _pleasure_.


	2. Getting To Know Each Other

"If I'm going to keep having you around, I should at least know your real name."

Cinder froze in the doorway. She had just returned home from a meeting with Miss Malachite, who had told her quite tersely that her agents had corroborated her tale, those coordinates - that castle's existence - and that they'd even spotted an Atlas airship coming and going from it on one particular day of observation. As well, they had actually recorded footage of Salem out of the castle, interacting with the Grimm out of the pools of darkness - from very, very far away, but still. They'd managed it. So, after a few days of uncertainty, it had been relieving to know Miss Malachite was now fully convinced of Salem's existence, and the threat she posed out there.

Coming home to the shock of delicate Flora confronting her like this was in _no way_ relieving. At all.

Cinder turned aside, her hood hiding her face as best it could. "Excuse me?" she uttered, trying to sound careless.

Flora's face was firm. "You heard me. I know your last name isn't _Fall_. It's an alias. What's your real one?"

"Why ever would you think that?"

"Because it's _no one's_ last name!" Flora exclaimed. "I know it's not real, don't lie to me - just give me the truth. That's all I want."

Cinder sighed, turning to face the woman now. "Smart woman. Okay, then...I'll tell you my real last name, but you can't go telling it to anyone else, do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"It's Nuveri," Cinder uttered the name with all the spite of a curse.

Flora blinked. Then, she gasped. "Nuveri? You're from the Nuveri family?! They were-"

"I was _not_ a part of their family!" Cinder snarled, viciously stamping a foot. "I was _never_ their family, do you hear me?!"

"I- of course- I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was such a..." Flora frantically rattled out, holding up her hands.

Cinder sighed, slinking over to the couch and throwing herself onto it. "It's fine..." she muttered. "Anyways, now you know - I don't want any more questions about-"

"Why is it so upsetting to you?"

"I _said_ I didn't-"

"I know what you said, but you're my guest, and I deserve to know a bit about who I'm letting sleep in my spare room every night! Give me something more, give me enough to paint a picture. A nice, general picture."

Cinder shut her good eye and looked down at her lap. She brought her hands together, clasping them tight. "Fine. You want a picture? Here's a wonderful one for you: When I was very little - three or four, I think - I remember traveling a lot with my father. He was a courier, had a bit of huntsman training, I think - he wouldn't have survived as long as he did without it...We wouldn't have..."

She trailed off, taking a breath that quavered. "One day, he came upon a young woman with three little girls of her own. We'd been staying in this well-off village, near the Nuveri family estate. Their family had taken a rare trip into town. The woman, Ms. Nuveri, was immediately smitten with my father. They talked the night away, and I...I was very little, I don't remember the specifics, but it led to us very quickly moving in with the woman. My father didn't have to work anymore, no more traveling. Not for him or me. They got married in short order, and then we were really a part of that family."

"Even though the Nuveri woman loved my father, she wanted nothing to do with me." Cinder squeezed past a blocked throat, clenched her fist so tight her nails drew blood. "She only tolerated me because we were a package deal, my father and I. And her daughters didn't like me much, either. They ignored me, never let me play with them, never...But they allowed me to be there. Then, when I was six, my father died. It was a stupid mistake, an accident involving a car. He crashed out in the woods, and...well, a helpless, distressed man is easy prey for the grimm."

"After that, the Nuveri family...my stepfamily...went from tolerating me and ignoring me, to actively hating me and mistreating me. I became a- a little maid for them. A servant. And...a- a punching bag. Every annoyance in my stepmother's day, every bad time at school for my stepsisters, they came home and came to me and they took it out on me. At least, at first. Pretty soon, it just became habit and pleasure, I suppose." Cinder laughed. "They enjoyed having someone around to hurt, to order around at whim. To humiliate, and to...degrade. That was my life for a long time. Too long."

"I'm sorry..."

"I ran away for the first time when I was eight - I don't know where I found that courage." Cinder's lips moved on their own, the words slow and monotone. Why was she still talking? Why was she still sitting here like this? "I was...punished awfully for that. But I did it again anyways. And again, and again. Every chance I could, every way I could think of. And then, I met two women. Two wonderful women. Lisari and Jenna. They lived in the village, they'd seen me about on my own plenty of times. And after the fifth time, they decided to step in and do something about it. They took me into their home, gave me nice food, a warm bed, a place to relax and to have fun. To...feel safe at, for once. They wanted to do more, just up and keep me, but the Nuveris were rich and connected in the big cities, and so there was never going to be a chance of that happening. But they did try anyways, when I was a teenager - thirteen or fourteen, I think. I'd come for another visit with Zulu in my arms, with a bad limp and blood flowing from my head. They decided it was enough, to screw consequence and reason; when my stepmother came to town looking for me, and knocked on their door, they told her flat out that they had me, and that they were _keeping me_."

"Zulu?"

"My pet rabbit; I met him on one of the times I ran away, and I decided to try keeping him around," Cinder said absently. "Of course, none of my pets ever lasted long - my stepmother saw to that. She was furious when she learned about my Semblance. She never wanted dirty, smelly animals in her mansion; she started killing them every single time she caught me with them, on the spot. A knife, wringing their necks, stomping on their skulls...But I needed- I couldn't just- I kept calling out to them, finding more of them. I know it was selfish, I know I was condemning them to die by asking them to come visit me so much, but I _couldn't just_...I was so _hurt_ and _lonely_ I just...!"

"That's horrible. That's _evil_."

"It was..."

"What happened when you were a teenager? With Lisari and Jenna?" Flora prompted gently, attentive. "With Zulu?"

Cinder laughed, vision blurring. "I had to go back - what else? She had power, money, connections - and I was just some useless, sad girl who loved cute little animals. Lisari and Jenna lost their jobs a month after, and had to move away with what savings they had. They offered to take me with them, take me away, but I told them no. They'd done so much for me over the years, I couldn't let them just...not for me. So they left, they listened to me. And things got worse than ever, back at the mansion."

"The next two years of my life were hell," she said flatly. "But it was a hell I escaped from, when I was sixteen. I decided I'd finally had enough, that I was leaving for good. I called to all the animals in the woods, around the mansion. I found them, and they found me. And I set them on the place. It was chaos, and it was amazing, and I loved it. But I was still so furious, I wanted more, I wanted them to _hurt_ and _die_! For everything! All those emotions in me boiled over, and it called something else to me, too. More than just animals."

"Oh gods...the grimm?"

Cinder smiled. "That's right. My Semblance let me talk to them as well. They understood me! I told them to tear the place apart, and kill everyone inside of the place. Not that they needed the explicit command to do that; they were already starting in on it on their own."

"That was on the news, years ago," Flora spoke, quiet. "The Nuveri mansion was overrun by Grimm, the whole family was killed. Torn apart. But there was never any mention of...well, of you. Of a fourth girl."

"Of course there wasn't," Cinder responded simply.

"What happened after that? Did you find Lisari and Jenna again?"

"I did," Cinder confirmed, lifting her head at last and giving a shaky nod. Her lips grew a smile. "I spent three years with them, learning the life of the big city. Getting to relax, and be happier than ever before. Until-"

"Until what?"

Until Salem had found her, approaching her personally in the dead of night on city's outskirts, off the highway. Cinder had been spending time among new animal friends, at the time. Salem had professed she knew all about her Semblance, how she'd used it against her stepfamily at the mansion, how it showed such determination and strength, and how she wanted to offer Cinder a job. A career, more like. A higher calling, a better life than imagined. A chance to change the world, to have real power, real safety and security in life. And the chance to take down more of those out there who held ultimate power and authority in the world, who hoarded it, who were so damn arrogant to think they could do as they pleased because everyone else were ants who didn't matter! Children who couldn't understand! Only them, their power, their secrets, only they were truly free and in control. And in control of everyone. Because they had made society what it was, and continued shaping it, even.

Of course Cinder had said yes. What nineteen year old girl wouldn't?

It had all sounded so grand, so- so-

But it had all been lies. Well, mostly lies - everything about Ozpin and his secret cabal was true, right down to the ancient magic vault underneath Beacon Academy. Cinder might be out and done with Salem, but that by no means meant she was ever going to consider throwing herself at the feet of the _other_ secretive, ruling organization in this world and its magical, reincarnating manipulative leader! She'd die before she let Salem _or_ Ozpin put a boot on her head and force her face into the mud again!

She was done with _both of them_ , _all of it_! She would be, if she could just survive long enough to do anything else in her life. Not that she knew what she wanted to do in life, exactly...but she'd figure that out, wouldn't she?

"Cinder?"

"Huh?" Cinder glanced at Flora, jarred from her own mind. _Oh, right; she's still here._

"Thank you for telling me as much as you did - you're right that I can't imagine what it was like for you, or even just how difficult it must have been to even talk about it." Flora stood, hands at her waist. "I'm glad you did; I'm glad I know you more now. And I like who I know." With those last, parting words to cause a warm stirring in Cinder's chest, Flora left the room like a dainty, silent ghost.

_You...like me now? For all that? After all that? How can you? That's idiotic, that was-_

Exactly the reaction Cinder had gotten from Lisari and Jenna when she had first opened up to them, when she had been a hurting, desperate runaway of an eight year old girl. And the same reaction she had gotten later, when she had broken down and sobbed her heart out at sixteen years old, telling them about what she had done with her Semblance a few scant nights past, desperate to relieve the awful feeling inside her soul _because_ of what she had done.

Cinder sat there alone for a long, long time, feeling the same sense of utter confusion as she had when faced with Lisari and Jenna's reactions.

* * *

"You keep coming and going. Are you planning on just leaving for good one of these times?"

Cinder eyed Flora in dark evening's candle light. She shifted awkwardly on her feet, a heat rising in her cheeks. "I- yes. Not quite yet, but yes."

"Do you have any idea where you're headed?"

"Not really," Cinder admitted, looking away.

"So you just planned on random wandering? Traveling? Until you figured out-" Flora stopped herself.

"Yes..." Cinder answered.

"Well, I'm coming with you."

"What?" Cinder said blankly.

"Whoever you want to be, wherever you want to go, whatever you want to _do_ , Cinder...I want to be there with you, too. I want to see who you become, and I want go where you want to go. I want to do what you do."

"Why...?"

"Well, admittedly, partially because I've gotten a little bored with my life here - the idea of traveling sounds amazing, and I figure I'd be best off going with someone who's had life experience with that already - but...also because I really like you, and I want to spend more time with you. If you'd have me along. I'll pull my weight, I'll pitch in what I can - I have savings. I can take it all out, and we can go together."

Cinder stared at her soft, determined little face. That curly lock hanging over an eye narrowed. It had been wonderful, this past week with Flora; she wasn't opposed to having the woman along on her travels of unspecified length and destination. She really did remind her badly of Lisari and Jenna. And Cinder had so, so missed those wonderful women in her life. She wanted even a facsimile of them back in it again - the way they made her feel, the way Flora was making her feel...the same...

"Alright. But I set a fast pace - you'd better be able to keep up with me," Cinder's words tumbled, blurted out with no thought whatsoever.

Flora's lips held a sweet smile. "Oh, I think I can manage that! Don't worry about me - even if it's sweet that you do."

"It was sarca...never mind." Cinder cast her gaze about, a desperate feeling in her, inexplicable. "So, it's about time for dinner, isn't it?"

"If you think so, then it is," Flora responded, that smile still playing across her lips. Her whole face just- glowing with it. "You sit down, I'll go get it started for us, okay?"

"I...okay..."

* * *

In the small clearing among trees outside of Mistral, two women stood very close together.

"I am _not_ going to have someone following me around without even having a basic sense of Aura," Cinder grated, grabbing Flora's shoulders and dragging her close against herself. "If you want to travel with me, you're going to get some basic training in Aura use and combat training - otherwise, go home and stay there!"

Flora quickly changed her mind. Agreed to it.

So Cinder held this woman by her arms, let her hands drift down to take Flora's, and she uttered out a quiet, "Close your eyes."

Flora obeyed.

Cinder shut her one good eye, too, and she breathed. She focused. On those hands, on this woman's heat, softness, on the image pulsing and forming in her mind's eye...

A purple little gem, glowing and swirling within - Flora's little soul. Her pretty little soul...

She reached out for it, and began to gently pour in some of her own Aura into that soul. She filled that gem up, and then she sent out a burst of power straight to its core; the gemstone erupted in light, radiantly purple, casting off to light up the dark around it.

Flora's hands closed around hers, squeezing suddenly as she gave an intake of breath.

Cinder opened her eye.

The woman's body was glowing and swirling with Aura. Purple, just like that gemstone of a soul.

"Congratulations, you're now a certified superhuman," Cinder said, with only a trace of sarcasm. She stepped away and lifted her hand, palm out. "Let me show you what you can do now."

Flora stared down at her swimming Aura around her hands, her arms, then she looked up at Cinder. As if she'd just noticed she had stepped back. "This is so- pretty- it's beautiful, I can't believe I never-"

Cinder accessed the barest amount of her Maiden magic, and launched a fireball the size of a gumball at Flora; it struck the woman in the chest. Flora let out a high, shrill noise as she was launched back half a dozen feet to slam into a tree.

"Oh my gods, oh my gods, how could you _do that to me_ , oh my _gods_ I'm going to die, I'm going to die!"

"Ugh." Cinder rolled her eyes. She set a grimm hand on her hip and stalked forward, offering her free, human hand to the woman. "If you'd calm down a moment, you'd notice that you're perfectly fine!" she intoned loudly.

Flora froze. She lifted her hands from her chest, and she stared. A hesitant pat, a few strokes of a finger. A poke, a prod. Her lips parted as she glanced up at Cinder. "I'm...not burning? I don't even feel too beat up? I...there isn't even any...my clothes aren't scorched?"

"That's right," Cinder said, trying to be patient. Trying _not_ to be a little...amused. This woman was sort of reminding her of herself, when she had been a girl - when _she_ had first unlocked her own Aura, and had discovered just what sort of things she could now do. "All fine. Of course, take too many hits, too powerful of hits, and you won't be anymore," she went on, cautioning.

Flora gave her a serious nod. Attentive - and...grateful? She reached up and took Cinder's hand, and let her pull her to her feet again.

"Once your aura breaks," Cinder went on. "it takes time to recharge again. And if it's broken, it can't heal your wounds, either. So you need to always be conscious of how low your aura is, how close it is to breaking - how much you're expending during combat."

Flora nodded again. "Okay."

Cinder gave her a smile. She held her arms away from her body, and materialized twin swords. "It's safe enough out here away from Mistral to start training you immediately. By the time we're ready to leave, I want you to at least have basic hand to hand form down, and basic aura utility."

"A-alright," Flora stammered, staring at the weapons with wide eyes.

"Reactivate your aura before I come at you, or you're going to have a terrible time."

"What? It's not just...on?"

"No. No it's not. Focus, bring it back up." Cinder paused, eyeing the woman as that purple energy flickered over her body again. "Good. I want you to focus on maintaining your aura, just...just for now. At first."

"Is this going to hurt?" Flora's voice was high, her eyes wider than ever.

Fear. Worry.

Cinder knew that look well - remembered similar words, too, from the mouth of a skinny sixteen year old girl looking up at a towering demon of a woman...She shook her head. "Not particularly, no. Aura severely reduces the pain of impacts and injuries - though you _do_ still feel them to an extent."

"Alright. Then...let's do it." Flora raised her fists and spread her legs in an absolutely ridiculous civilian idea of a combat stance.

Cinder couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips at the sight. She flourished her blades, weaving them in and out of each other effortlessly, and she stalked forward. Deliberate, sensual and slow.

Flora stepped back, bumping into a tree.

Cinder lunged, and she swung for Flora's middle. The blade struck her aura, sweeping the woman aside and sending her rolling as it flickered.

Flora's hand slapped to her ribs as she rolled over, her breathing shallow and quick. Then she actually looked at herself. She got herself under control and stood up again.

No sooner had she than did Cinder come at her again - this time, with a moderate thrust. She caught Flora in the gut, and amped her own aura through the blade to send her flying back into another tree. Flora cried out on impact, fell onto her face, sprawled. She scrambled up and raised her fists again, apparently getting the grasp of the idea that the aura was there to protect her from harm and pain already.

"Good recovery," Cinder offered. She supposed it was true enough - for a civilian. Though, she wasn't quite sure why she'd even offered it. She put those thoughts aside and went in for a series of slashes across Flora's chest and stomach; the woman jerked and spasmed, her aura sparking and bursting, and she even tried to shove out with her hands at Cinder to stop her. But Cinder was an immovable object - she only retreated when she decided to.

Flora slumped to the ground, her arms crossing over her face. "I think I understand the basic concept of aura now! Can we stop this? Can I actually learn how to _use it_ to defend myself...actively?"

Cinder eyed her, lowering her blades. For a single instant, she'd seen not a woman cowering before her, but a little girl desperately tossing up her arms to shield herself. "If you think you're ready for that, then sure. I'll show you a few examples, and then coach you through how to do it yourself."

"Am I going to be the example again?" Flora said blandly.

"You, a few of these trees - don't worry, you'll have company there," Cinder said humorously.

"Gods..."

"It really won't be too bad," Cinder switched up, tried to reassure.

"Did you try being a huntress once? Is that how you know all this- _oh my gods, hey! This doesn't feel like coaching!_ "

* * *

After a week and a half, Cinder was more than ready to move on.

Unfortunately, with Flora tagging along, it meant that this time, Cinder couldn't hide who she was always going away to meet with - just where she was going in seedy lower Mistral.

"You're part of a crime organization?" Flora demanded, shock and wariness in her eyes as she gazed at the spider symbol on the tavern entrance.

Cinder actually snorted at the assumption. "No - but, this crime organization might be useful to me for the moment," she replied honestly. She didn't hide her own distaste for the petty criminals that rallied here. Even as a child, Cinder had set her dreams in life _far_ higher than petty crimes - than being some petty crook. The word said it all: PETTY. Oh, how she had despised working with a lowly thug like Roman Torchwick.

She walked up to Flora, put a hand gently on her arm, and looked her in the eyes. "Here's how this is going to happen, Flora - listen to me, all right? We're going to walk in, you're going to stay very, _very_ close to me, and you're not going to look at anyone else but me, or say a single _word_ to anyone else but me. Just let me talk, concentrate on keeping your aura up - don't let it drop until we leave the building - and you'll be just fine. I won't have to ever come back here, and neither will you. Okay?"

Flora breathed. She nodded. "Okay. I trust you. If this is just- a one and done, desperate woman in a desperate situation thing...then okay. I can deal with that. And you said- it's just information. If it's just that...I can deal with that."

Cinder looked at her for a long moment. Momentary shock coursed through her. Then, she shook her head. Nobody should trust her - just like she never would trust anyone else. In a world where even her "family" had treated her like dirt since her earliest memories...well, that had made it plainly obvious to her that people of even less supposed familiarity should never be trusted. Salem's abusive treatment wrapped in honey had made that even more clear to Cinder now.

Lisari and Jenna didn't count, of course. They'd _shown_ they could be trusted, they'd _shown_ Cinder love and care, and put themselves between her and her worst nightmare of a stepmother, even knowing it was useless and could - had - cost them their livelihood for crossing the woman so blatantly.

Cinder hadn't shown Flora she could be trusted, had she? Flora still knew nothing of her life from nineteen to twenty-two - the most recent years spent under Salem, bringing down entire kingdoms - or, trying to (the failure that Cinder was and all). If Flora knew, she'd never have said such a stupid thing to her.

"Let's do this," she said simply, flashing a small, brief smile. Cinder realized her hand was still on Flora's arm; she let it drop, turned to the doorway, putting her old confidence back into her step, and stepped inside.

Cinder walked into Miss Malachite's gang den with Flora close behind her - brushing up against her, in fact. Cinder...didn't feel particularly compelled to ask her to step back a little, however. Yes, she thought absently, this arrangement was just fine...

"Has anyone been in here asking about me?" Cinder asked immediately upon approaching the table where Miss Malachite sat.

The woman herself gave Cinder an irritated look. "You know, darling, just because I took you in does _not_ mean that you're free to come and go like you own the place - to just demand whatever you like of me. You'd do well to remember that, or I might just put you out on your ass right now."

"Would you?" Cinder challenged, smirking as she fell into the chair, scooting up to the table. Flora stood just behind her, even still. "I don't think so - not now you know for sure."

Miss Malachite gave a small nod, her face slightly paling. "True - but don't push me, all the same, sweetheart." She paused. "As for your question - I'll give you an answer for free, as part of our ongoing arrangement; yes, there was someone who came to ask about you. Two someone's, in fact. Hazel Rainart, four days back, and then, not five minutes ago, there was this tiny little woman we identified as an associate of Roman Torchwick's who came in asking where she could find you. Didn't vocalize - used a scroll to text her question out to me - but she managed to ask. From the look in her eyes, it looked like a burning desire on her part."

"Neo," Cinder sighed. "And you told neither of them I was here? That I was even alive?"

"Of course I didn't tell them," Miss Malachite responded.

"Well, thanks," Cinder grunted out. "At least that's-"

A creaking noise, a flash of pink light from her left, and Cinder was throwing herself to the right and flattening herself out on the floor.

A long, thin blade pierced the air where she'd once been seated, and a petite woman of pink and white color scheme came flipping down to land on the chair, poised and balanced on one foot.

Cinder leapt to her feet, fists clenching. Her eyes flickered to Flora, who had fallen back on her ass on dirty tavern floor in sheer shock. She met Neo's gaze and focused, bringing her aura up. Then, she spared a glance for Miss Malachite.

"I thought you said she'd left," Cinder accused.

"I thought she had," Miss Malachite replied, leaning forward to eye Neo with outright interest. "That is a marvelous Semblance you have there, you know that? Have you been hanging about in here this whole time?"

Cinder growled and raised a hand to Neo. "Neo, look, whatever this is about, I don't-"

Neo flipped off the chair and came down with a vicious kick aimed for the top of Cinder's head.

_Ugh, great!_

Cinder brought her grimm arm up and caught Neo's boot sole, using its strength and her enhanced aura strength alike to just _hold_ Neo there - and the woman herself was keeping her balance not at all precariously, helping in that regard. Cinder threw her arm aside, sending Neo flying.

Neo backflipped and landed daintily, twirling her thin, deadly blade in hand.

Whatever this was about, Neo was out to _kill_.

_Wait, kill...oh, great. Torchwick._

"Listen to me, Neo: I didn't kill your boss - if you want revenge, take it up with Little Red!" Cinder snapped out.

Neo glared at her, and then she blitzed forward with superhuman speed.

 _She's not listening to me._ _I can't make her listen - not in here - not with Maiden Powers. That would be the biggest giveaway in the world that I'm not actually dead. But outside...I could find a nice alley for us. And it would take the fighting away from Flora..._

Cinder leapt to the second floor, kicked out a window and jumped out onto the streets.


	3. Mishaps With Ice Cream and Vale Avails

Cinder hit the alley floor hard and rolled, coming up twirling, swinging her blades - and hitting nothing but air.

She'd _heard_ Neo right on her ass, she'd heard the whistle of that thin blade of hers, nearly catching the hem of her robes...but she was gone now. Just like that.

_Her Semblance is stronger, more refined now than ever._

"Neat trick," she said aloud, huffing and turning to stride down a narrow alleyway offshoot. She looked around with faux carelessness - utterly casual in every step. "You've gotten stronger...." A turn of a heel, slow and calm - and then the faintest chime and catch of light behind her, reflected onto the alley walls. Cinder raised a hand behind herself, not even looking. "So have I." She blasted out a Maiden fireball, very low power. But even a low powered Maiden fireball was enough to send anyone reeling.

Even Neo, she saw, was leaning forward with her umbrella shielding her, twirling it rapidly to dissipate the energy as much as she could - to not lose her footing and fall away.

Cinder was only a _little_ impressed when the woman straightened up with her umbrella rested casually on a shoulder, the fireball having been done away with entirely. Stood against quite firmly...

"Neo," she started, lowering her blades to her sides. "I'm telling the truth: I had nothing to do with Roman Torchwick's death. It was Ruby Rose who went up to that airship that night, and it is _her_ who's responsible for his death! Not me! So stop hounding me and get lost! Go for the target you _really_ want to-"

Neo was flying at her again, face fierce with anger.

_Damnit!_

Cinder brought up her weapons and caught Neo's umbrella between them, deflecting it away and twisting aside to avoid a retaliatory strike. They sparred and battled around the alley, twisting and twirling around each other in ballet dance.

"Neo!" she yelled out, frustrated now. Angry, herself. "This is pointless, this is _stupid_ , this isn't- _argh!_ "

Cinder let out a cry as Neo smacked her in her damaged eye with her umbrella's hilt, causing her to stagger.

" _Okay, enough already!_ "

Rapid footsteps, and then a figure had come rushing past Cinder, swinging a fist for Neo.

Neo simply jumped back, giving her umbrella another twirl. Her eyes zeroed in on the newcomer.

Cinder stared at the backside of Flora for a moment, confused and shocked more than anything else. Then, she just got this really tight feeling in her chest. " _Flora, what are you doing?! Get the hell back!"_

"You get back!" Flora refuted, squaring up and actually taking a shaking step _toward_ Neo. "This little shit is after you, isn't she? Well, now she'll have to get through me! I'm not letting her hurt you - or kill you; honestly, that looks like what she's out for! Not that I really could keep up with half of what you two were doing out here..." she admitted in a mutter, a bit of hesitance entering her voice now.

That tight feeling in her chest exploded.

_A door bursting open, a tall, dark haired figure pushing her way into the house...warm, safe, comforting - no longer, not now, not today, at last..._

_Two strong, warm figures standing in front of Cinder, between her and her nightmare captor._

_"Who do you think you are, keeping my stepdaughter from me like this? I can have you both charged for abduction, you know that! Give her to me, right now! I'm taking her home immediately!"_

_"No! We are_ not _letting that girl go back with you to get beaten - or worse, from the looks of her! It's enough, it's over! Or do you want us to get the local law enforcement involved?"_

 _A laugh, spiteful and cruel. "Go right ahead - they won't do a thing. Not to me. But to you two...and to her? They can do a whole lot. I can tell them to do a whole lot. It's your choice: give me my stepdaughter, or_ I _will call the police on you for this."_

"Flora...move...please. You'll get hurt, or worse. I won't let you - not for me..."

"I won't let _you_!" Flora snapped back over a shoulder. She tossed her head, huffed a breath that sent frizzy locks out of her face. She clenched her fists and took another step for Neo. "Pint-sized: get lost, or get beat down! Whatever you think Cinder did, she didn't do it! You have the wrong woman!"

Neo cocked her head. Her gazed flitted between the two of them. Her stance shifted. She lowered her umbrella to her side, and closed it.

"Better," Flora breathed. "Now why don't we just talk this big misunderstanding out together, alright?"

Neo hesitated. Then, she nodded.

Cinder's hazy mind cleared, far too late, in her opinion. She strode forward, seizing Flora and shoving her back behind her as she passed. She stalked up to Neo, dematerializing both of her blades. If Neo even _tried_ to go for Flora, Cinder would unleash the full might of a Maiden on her tiny ass.

"It wasn't me," Cinder said, hard, gazing down at her. "It was Ruby. Why even come all this way, after me? You know I was nowhere near there, I wasn't involved - I certainly wasn't in league with that brat! The one who took my _eye_ , _this arm_ , scarred and ruined most of my body? My face? Please, Neo, have some semblance of _sense_!"

Neo sighed, put hand on hip and ducked her head, frowning.

"If you're feeling ashamed of yourself right now, good," Cinder couldn't resist snarking. "This is ridiculous, and idiotic on your part. I'd really thought you were better than that."

Neo huffed, lifting her head and brushing her hair out of her face. She drew out her scroll and rapidly began tapping away it. She flipped it around in a single dexterous hand, showing off the screen to Cinder. The message read: **You hired him!!! >:(**

"Y-yes..." Cinder said slowly, carefully. So keenly aware of Flora right behind her. "And he knew the risks involved, didn't he? You can't hold me responsible for what happens in the chaos of a grimm invasion, with legions of random, dangerous huntresses running about. I'm not god, Neo - as much as I might wish I was sometimes..." she finished in a murmur.

Neo's frown intensified. She half-turned, lifting her gaze to the dark sky. Another sigh, a lowered head and more rapid texting. **I guess so...**

"Right. That's right," Cinder said, placating. "So, are we okay now? Can you move along - go after the _real_ target?"

**Want to team up?**

"No," Cinder said instantly, firmly. Going after Ruby would put her right in the middle of the conflict she had just gotten out of - wished to avoid! As much as she still burned for vengeance...her desire to be free and alive was greater. She couldn't let either side know she still lived. She hesitated, then she leaned in and lowered her voice. "Let me level with you here, Neo - but you cannot tell a single soul! Here it goes: I left _my_ employer. Unfortunately, she, unlike me, does not accept simple resignations. I just let you go on your way after our...assignment together...but mine? Mine will want to see me dead if she ever finds out I'm still alive. And she'll use all her previous...employers to do so on her behalf. Our former co-workers from that- that _job_ , will be sent after me. And if they fail, she'll come for me herself."

Neo looked alarmed - and intrigued. **What did Roman and I get ourselves into?! :o**

Cinder sighed, straightening. The idea struck her mind from Neo's own question. She smiled slightly. "Something absolutely above your pay grade, Neo. But now that you're in on it, there's no going back. No backing out. She's aware of you now, and so are all the others we worked with. If they learn _you_ are still alive too, they'll surely come after you too. Forget revenge, you don't want to get yourself put on _her_ radar again by getting in her way like that. No, your best chance to stay alive now...is my best chance. _Our_ best chance...is to stick together, Neo. To look out for each other. Because she will do everything in her power to kill us now. And she has unfathomable power and connections in the world."

Neo's alarm turned to outright fear. Shaky fingers moved like lightning. **You're serious? Fuck! :( I tried really hard to live past 25.**

"But you're not twenty-five yet..."

Neo lifted a hand and _snapped_. **Exactly!!!! Let me stick with you until we can get these people off our backs!**

"I did offer, Neo," Cinder said mildly, amused.

**Right! Thanks! :)**

"No problem." Cinder paused, finally feeling it safe to turn her back on Neo, and give a look to Flora. "We're okay now. In fact, she's agreed to come traveling with us. If you're all right with having an extra person around."

"Hey, I'm traveling with you - it's up to you, isn't it?" Flora replied, with a small shrug and a smile.

"Right - I just don't...want you to be afraid or- something," Cinder finished, in awkward murmurings.

"That's really sweet. But this was clearly just a misunderstanding, and now that it's all cleared up, I'll be happy to have this - Neo, you said her name was? - along for...wherever we're going. That just makes this all even more exciting, doesn't it?" Flora babbled, beaming.

"Right...exciting is exactly the word I'd have used for this situation..." Cinder said dryly.

"Gods, I love it when you talk like that!"

Cinder's cheeks burned, her lips sputtered something unintelligible. "Y-yes, well, I- yes...anyways, we _really_ need to get going now; we've caused a far bigger ruckus than I ever wanted to. We need to get as far away from here as possible."

"Because your old boss is out to kill you for leaving her," Flora nodded, looking nothing but...pitying? Sympathetic? "What a cold bitch. Is this how Huntress life is out there? Just life and death, all or nothing, all the time?"

"I wouldn't know - I was never a huntress," Cinder gritted in reminder - and restraint.

"Oh, right, of course - I'm sorry!"

"Never mind. Let's just...go. Now."

"Lead the way, then."

Neo gave an extravagant flourish and a bow, gesturing on down the alleyway.

Cinder lifted her head high and strode past Neo - after snagging Flora's hand behind her and yanking her up against her backside. It was really the best place for her to be, Cinder thought happily.

* * *

"Where exactly are we going?"

Cinder paused in the street, paying a glance and a smile to Flora. "We're currently on our way to the Mistral Airship Center. I'd like to take a trip over to Sanus - to the Kingdom of Vale. More specifically: to its capital - the city of Vale."

"Confusing, but okay - why?" Flora asked curiously.

"Well," Cinder began, delicate, cautious. "because, just like Neo and myself - and now you, for traveling with us, I'm sorry, Flora - there are still a few other people out there who now have targets on their backs. Or, if they don't yet, they soon will due to the actions of...certain people lately. I'd like to set out to meet two of these people, and convince them of the danger they're in. Possibly even get them to agree to come with us for protection. We're stronger in numbers, after all." _Entirely the truth -_ _except that_ _by "we", I mean solely you and I..._

"Alright, that sounds good - and hey, that's really great of you. I mean, traveling across continents to keep people safe from this boss of yours...it's amazingly compassionate of you."

Cinder flushed and looked away - unable to stand the way Flora was looking at her. She shouldn't be, she wouldn't be...if she knew everything. "Yes, it is, isn't it? Anyways, with your savings, we should easily be able to afford passage to Vale for all three of us."

"Alright. And, what will we do after that? If we can get these other people on board - no puns intended?"

"I'm hoping that we can all agree to travel to Atlas together," Cinder spoke slowly. Vacuo was Salem's next target after Haven, after Mistral; she wouldn't be coming anywhere up north any time soon. That was the safest place to be. Plus, its own natural cold and remote...ness...would be a very valuable protection in its own right. "It's a wonderfully high tech place, and a veritable winter wonderland - or so I hear. I've always wanted to go there," she admitted, honest and casual - a tiny smile playing on her lips.

Flora smiled, too, and squeezed her hand. "That sounds good to me." She cast a glance Neo's way. "What about you?"

Neo gave a large, fake smile and a sharp thumbs up. As soon as Flora had turned away, Neo dropped it all and rolled her eyes, a hand set on hip.

Neo had certainly picked up quickly on the fact that being nice to Flora was a path to keeping Cinder happy with her - and less inclined to kick her out of the group before they'd even gotten started with anything in this whole mutual survival plan of theirs.

The three of them made it into the Airship Center without incident - subsequently, they boarded without incident. A flight booked right to Vale. A reconstructed, tenuously repopulated Vale, even these many months later.

Upon arrival and disembarking after a lengthy flight of eight hours, however, it was apparent that everyone in the city seemed to be trying to act like things were normal; Cars were driving about, people walked the streets in open daylight of morning. Happiness and bustling all around.

"It's like nothing ever happened," Flora spoke quietly. "The way the news has been talking about it all these months now, you'd have thought it was an ongoing warzone. But this is nice."

"It is nice," Cinder agreed. More proof that following Salem had gotten her nothing and nowhere - they hadn't seemed to have even made a dent in people's lives. Nothing had _changed_. No great revolution, no grand revelation to the world...none of that crap Salem had always gone on about to Cinder, telling her that _she_ would be the one to bring it about! She'd brought about _nothing_!

And Cinder...was fine with that.

The world would go on as it would - maybe it didn't _need_ some grand overhaul.

After all, this was a world that had produced Lisari and Jenna - and Flora, too...

If there could just be more people like them in this world, rather than people like her stepmother, and Salem...

Cinder shook her head, pulling her hood tighter and leading the way through downtown Vale.

She successfully located a place she knew only by reputation and memorized address, in all honesty: a club owned by one "Junior".

A few of the other of Salem's followers had payed it visits before, and she knew Roman Torchwick had visited it once or twice - but she never had, herself, personally. Perhaps Neo had, though; she had a smile on her face as she skipped ahead to the front entrance, like coming back home again.

On sight of Neo, the two guards immediately parted, opening the doors for her hastily and ducking their heads, expressions utterly stricken.

Cinder and Flora slipped right in with Neo, not even getting second looks.

That boded well.

Cinder allowed a smirk to settle on her face, and a little saunter to enter her movements of hips and legs.

"Neo!" A jovial voice called, echoing in a nigh empty club - they were meant for nights, not mornings, after all. A man who could only be Junior himself came striding forward, arms spread wide, a grin on his face. "This is an unexpected surprise - after everything went down a while back, I'd thought you and Torchwick were dead. Long dead - no offense. But would you look at this, here you are! What can I do for you this fine morning?"

Neo skipped and hopped her way up to Junior, smiling quite pleasantly. She circled him twice, swiftly, like a shark in ocean waters, grasping her umbrella in both hands across her waist. She tilted her head and looked up at him, smile turning to a grin to match Junior's.

Junior eyed her expectantly - and fearfully.

Cinder rolled her eyes and strolled forward, coming up beside Neo - the girl really did like to play with her food way too much, even by Cinder's standards. "Look, Junior, is it? The long and short of it is that we're here looking for the Malachite Twins, on behalf of their mother over in Mistral. The girls are in great danger, though they have no idea at present, I'm sure. We're here to inform them, and possibly gain them as traveling companions - for their safety. Best to keep on the move, yes?"

"Oh shit..." Junior whispered tonelessly. "Uh- ahem- well- I am horribly, horribly sorry, but the Malachite Twins aren't...exactly the _twins_ anymore. It actually hit me pretty hard, honestly...they were damn dedicated, good at what they did, and I-"

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah, well, you see, lady, just late last night there was this...problem...that came into the club. This maniac with huntsman level weapons and skills comes waltzing in calling for the twins. My security tried to take him down, but uh, they're absolute shit, so it didn't go well at all for...for them. Any of them." Junior coughed, looked away. "So this guy, after he bloodies my dance floor - and a dozen of my paying customers, _who he also killed a few of for shits and giggles_ \- he goes right for the twins when they show themselves. They were ready to fight, to protect this place, protect me, protect the rest of the staff, and protect the customers. It was downright heroic. They had this big fight, and the guy...he won. At least, over one of them. He killed Melanie, stabbed her through with this huge stinger tail of his - he was a faunus, by the way - and he told Miltiades to take it as a warning from 'his Goddess' not to interfere with her business, and to consider herself lucky her mother was at least going to get to keep one daughter. But he said that if her mother stuck her head where it didn't belong again, he'd come back to finish the job with Miltiades. Annnnnd then he just left."

A little choked noise came from behind Cinder. She turned to see Flora looking outright horrified - aghast. Her eyes were shimmering, a hand was covering her mouth. Cinder tried to smile at her before returning her attentions to Junior. "So we were too late - at least for one of them."

"Yeah...a couple of hours earlier and you probably could've been here to, I don't know, make the difference?" Junior shrugged, crestfallen. "Real damn tragedy, I tell you."

"Where's Miltiades?" Cinder asked quietly. "We can still protect her, at least."

"Ah..." Junior pointed across the club - toward the bar, and the door behind it. "She's in the back. She's been alternating between drinking herself to death, crying her eyes out, and breaking anything she can get her hands on. And sometimes a mixture of all three. If you think you can convince her to go with you, keep her safe, I'd be glad of it - like I said, I liked the girls, they were _good_ , and it's a damn shame to see one go so early in her life. Wouldn't want to see the other one go too. Not so soon after."

"Right," Cinder said softly. "I can assure you that we'll do our best for her." She cast a look at Flora, extending a hand. "Come here - come on. Or would you rather wait out here?"

Flora startled. She shook her head, then nodded - shook her head again. "I'm not sure. I've never...been even close to anyone who died before. Finding you how I did was as close as I ever got, to be honest."

"Just wait out here, then," Cinder told her firmly. "Junior, if you'd be gracious enough to get her a drink? Keep her company - but not _too much_ company, or your club will see more blood on its floors within the same twenty-four hour timespan. Are we clear?"

Junior gulped. "G-got it, ma'am. You can count on me. Hands free here."

"You had better hope so," Cinder said darkly, briefly flaring her Maiden eyes. "I will _fucking kill you on the spot_ , and that isn't an exaggeration; I've killed before, and I'll do it again for _her_."

Junior retreated, hands raised. "I swear, okay - just a drink, nothing else!"

"Good. Neo: I want you to come with me - with the state Miltiades is in, there's no telling what she might do to us...out of poor, awful grief, of course. Grieving people often do stupid things, and we don't want her doing anything stupid with us."

Neo gave an exaggerated nod and went with Cinder to the back of the club.

Cinder vaulted over the bar counter and pushed the door open gently, easing her way into a dark, dirty hallway.

Screams, banging and clattering met her ears immediately, making it very easy to locate the Malachite girl; she was right through the first door on the left.

A dark, velvet room with a three sided couch that was upturned against a wall, a shattered glass table, Champaign bottles broken everywhere, large punctures in the walls, and a whole section of ceiling just carved out and sitting on the floor.

Miltiades was as much a mess as the room she was thrashing - dark hair strewn about and tangled up, makeup smeared down her face, big, blotchy green eyes. A torn red dress.

"Miltiades," Cinder spoke, hesitant.

The teenage girl whirled, seething, grasping a broken half bottle in hand. "It's Miltia!"

"Miltia, right - sorry," Cinder said quickly, nodding.

"Who the fuck are you two?"

Cinder entered the room cautiously, hands raised. More for Miltia's sake than for her own, obviously. "We're associates of your mother. We came here to...well, it's tragic timing, but we intended to protect you and your sister. The scorpion faunus that did it - his name is Tyrian Callows. And he came here...on orders from a woman named Salem."

Miltia stared at her blearily. She dropped her gaze to the half bottle, squinting at it like she'd just realized it was there. Then she hurled it at Cinder with a scream of incoherent rage - and grief.

Cinder batted it away with a little Aura exertion, striding for Miltia now swiftly. "We are- extremely sorry for your loss- and sorry that we couldn't have gotten here only a few hours sooner, and I'm sure your mother already knows of the loss by now. She has our condolences as well. But you're still alive, Miltia - and that means your mother still has someone left to lose. And it means that we...still have someone left we can keep safe from Tyrian, and from Salem. Along with other agents of hers that she _will_ be sending after you again, in time. Either because she changed her mind about tying up that loose end, or...well, because she decided to indulge Tyrian his habits. And if she decides to let him come for you again, to let him _have you_ , _he will have you_. Do you understand? Do you want to wait around for that to happen to you?"

Miltia fell flat on her ass on the floor, dropped like a stone. She let out a hysterical laugh, throwing up her arms and hugging herself. "Y-you think I even care right now?"

"Not right now, no - obviously," Cinder said, trying for patience. She dropped to her knees in front of the girl, set hands on her thighs. "And I- understand. I've had losses before, too. I didn't care, either. Until the storm passed, and suddenly I did again. Everything...I cared about everything. Because you do care, because you have to care. You lost your sister, and while I can't imagine what that's like, I have lost something like my mothers before, twice over. I was ripped from them, both times."

"What're you even getting at with this?"

"What I am getting at..." Cinder fought herself, clenching her teeth. "...is that you _care_ about your sister. And that because you do, you need to come with us. Both, because your mother would want you to do your best to stay alive, and because if you do, you might get the chance, purely by coincidence, to avenge your sister's death. Because Tyrian Callows, the man who did it, he'll be coming after me and my companions as well. And if you're with us at the time...We can all protect each other, ourselves together, and we can all avenge Melanie together, too. So, please, would you get up and come with us?"

Miltia blinked at her, fresh tears spilling forth to further mutilate the already grotesque makeup lines. "Sure...why the fuck not? There's nothing _els_ _e_ for me here anyways, is there? Nothing at all now..."

Cinder breathed relief. She tried a smile, and grabbed the girl's hand. "Then let's go."

Miltia gave a nod, wobbling on her feet and hanging onto Cinder's arm as she was helped to her feet again. And even after, she continued to do so.

Cinder let her, fighting irritation at the contact. If it was what would get this girl to join her group of allies, her group of allies to surround herself and Flora, and protect them against Salem and her forces as a potent, living shield...then by all means, she would let the grieving girl cling to her. For a while, anyways. And it had nothing to do with the fact that she was grieving or anything, either.

Or anything to do with the image in her mind's eye of Flora's radiant smile when she would emerge from the back like this - or the warm feeling that would surely follow after, graced to her by Flora, as once often graced her by Lisari and Jenna, and all their affections and attentions given to her before.


	4. The Message Received

"Cute claws."

Miltia paused in the process of putting her weapons into her suitcase. Red and black, dual bladed, lengthy claws attached to strong gauntlets. "Thanks..." she said, toneless.

"I really do mean it," Cinder tried again. "I- I _love_ animals - I love...claws. I love _your_ claws!"

Miltia just blinked at her. "Whatever - weirdo." She went back to packing.

Cinder suppressed an irritated snarl in depths of her chest. Why had it always seemed so easy for Lisari and Jenna to do things like that for her, but whenever _she_ tried doing it for _others_ , she ended up screwing up with it? What was it about them, and about Flora, that made it so _effortless_ for them? Speaking of...Cinder gave up on Miltia and set about turning eyes on Flora. Flora gave her a bright smile; the irritated feeling eased, that relief she had sought out. She rolled her shoulders and stalked away from Miltia, her own lips responding in kind to Flora's.

"That was really sweet of you," Flora whispered, putting hand on her arm. "Even if it didn't work out so well. At least you tried for her."

Cinder gave her a sincere, quiet little "Thanks." in return. And she might have let her hand rest on her arm for a few moments too long - long enough for Flora to decide to pull her hand away all on her own.

Flora spoke up again quickly, with a pink tinge to her lovely cheeks. "Has Neo messaged about the airship to Solitas yet?"

Cinder shook her head, not even bothering to pull out her scroll. "I haven't heard a beep yet - so, no."

Traveling by legitimate means took _so long_ \- and it was so _involved_.

But it was necessary to bear it - so bear it, Cinder would.

A few minutes passed them by, and then her scroll beeped at last.

Cinder pulled it out with relief - which died immediately upon sight of the exquisite chess piece filling up her screen.

Cold dread rushed in, ushering out the relief, expelling it like a gut punch.

"What is it? Bad news?" Flora was saying, leaning over to spy on her scroll. "A chess piece? What's that about? Are you...are you okay? Cinder?"

Cinder reached a shaking finger, and tapped the screen.

Filling her screen was the image of the demon queen herself.

Salem was leaning forward, resting chin on a fist, her face conveying nothing but utmost pleasure and relief that the line had been picked up. "Cinder, dear, I believe it's past time we talked."

For an instant of sheer stupidity and ludicrous hilarity - and insanity - Cinder's mind toyed with the idea of just hanging up, slamming her phone to the floor and smashing it under boot sole.

But, no. No. That would only earn her this woman's complete and total _rage_. A very personal, focused rage, at that.

Cinder trembled. She swallowed. Worked her lips. Nothing came out.

"Cinder...? Is this her? Your psycho old boss?"

" _Excuse me?_ " Salem's high laughter rang. "Cinder, darling, just _who is that_?"

Cinder deliberately rotated herself on the spot, aiming the scroll's camera the exact opposite direction away from Flora. "N-no one, nothing - it doesn't matter. Just...like you don't matter to me anymore now."

Salem raised an eyebrow, her smile fixed. Very fixed now. "You know, I had expected something like this, after you spent over a week loafing in Mistral. But, when you began to move again, heading for Vale, I thought, maybe she's finally ready to get back to her assignment. But then, I realized: the assignment I gave her last had nothing to do with Vale. So why...would she be there? And now here we are - here I am, back again at the disappointing thought that Cinder Fall has decided to flee all responsibility, all duties, and cast off everything I ever gave her. But that...just can't be, can it? Please, dear, tell me I'm just being overly paranoid about all of this. Trying to make some sense out of your movement patterns lately."

"How do you know..." Cinder's question died in her throat, as her grimm arm began to vibrate, and reverberate with sheer agony.

Salem looked pleased with herself. "Very good, Cinder. Yes - that gift of mine isn't just a vessel for your wonderful new powers, but it's also a means by which I may keep tabs on you. A good thing that I did, wouldn't you say?"

"No," Cinder whispered. "I...you aren't wrong. I'm through with you, I'm through with everything! All you ever told me was that I was going to change the world, that I would be _truly free_ , and _powerful_ , but that wasn't true, was it?! Where was the _freedom_ in obeying your every whim and wish? Where was the _power_ in being made into a- a _servant_ again? You're no different from my stepmother! You never were! You just hid it behind sweet words and kind smiles, like you're doing _right now_!"

Salem's aforementioned smile vanished. Her lips twisted something ugly. Her scarlet eyes flared, and narrowed. She breathed...and then she relaxed. She sat back, folding her arm on the table in her castle's meeting room. "Cinder, I understand that you're having a crisis of faith - in yourself, your abilities, and, regrettably, also in _me_ \- after failing so much recently, but you're being quite hysterical, aren't you? A bit drastic? It hurts, you know, to hear you spitting such angry words at me. To hear you compare me to that wretched stepmother of yours. I gave you the world, I promised you everything - I gave you _magic_. If you would calm down and come home to me again, we can discuss all of this face to face. Any issues you have, any doubts you're mulling over in that pretty head of yours...we can smooth it all over. Sort it out together. Okay - sweetheart?"

"No!" Cinder snarled. "Stop it, stop _doing that_ , stop _talking to me like that! Like you care, like you're Lisari or Jenna, like you're Flora-_ "

"Flora? Is that the charming young lady I heard before?"

Cinder froze. "N-no, she's no one, I never-"

"Cinder, dear, please! Just take a breath. I'm not going to hurt this...lovely new friend of yours, as I'm sure she is! Just breathe, and try to think rationally."

"I- I'm- I'm hanging up. Don't call me again, I won't answer. And don't...if you send anyone after me, to _bring me back_ , or to kill me..." Cinder paused. She gathered herself. She put on her trademark smirk. "Well, you said it yourself: you gave me this power. I'll use it against those _morons_ if it comes down to it. And I'll _destroy them_!"

A long, agonizing silence.

Then, a long, heavy sigh. Salem put a hand to her face, dragged it down with vigor, nails clawing. "Ugh, Cinder! That's quite the bravado from you, but it's _very much_ misplaced." Her casual, light tones carried. "As long as you can promise me you'll at least continue doing as I asked, I won't have to send anyone to retrieve you. Okay? Nothing _bad_ has to happen here - if you'll just reassure me that you're still committed to-"

"But I'm _not_ ," Cinder interrupted, biting. "Weren't you _listening_? I'm _through_! I'm _done_! I'm _never coming back_! You lied to me, you manipulated me, you tricked me, and I'm done letting you do that now! Stay away from me, tell the others to stay away from me - or I will bring the full wrath of a Maiden onto them!"

"I'll give you a month," Salem spoke decisively, waving an airy hand of black nails. "Clearly, you're overworked. You need a vacation. So you take your vacation, Cinder, dear: spend time out, go where you like, do what you wish. Be with whoever you want to be with out there - Flora, who I'm sure is _wonderful_. And then, after you've unwound yourself, you can get back to work."

"I. Am not. Fucking-"

"Oh, neither am I, dear - take it, seriously. Enjoy yourself! I have all the time in the world to wait for you!" Salem's hand stilled. A finger pointed right at Cinder. "Oh! But, before I go, be sure and stop by Lisari and Jenna's - I've _heard_ that they have a gorgeous little baby on their hands. In a way, almost like a little sister to you - wouldn't you say? Spiritually, figuratively? It is what's in the heart - the _soul_ \- that counts, after all. And they _were_ the ones who did most of the real raising of you, compared to myself - and, obviously, compared to that wretched stepmother of yours. Anyways, I've already dispatched one of your good friends to check in on their lovely little family, so if you want to see them yourself, I'd suggest you really hurry over. They live down south from Vale, in fact, don't they now? What is it, two, three hundred miles?"

_No..._

"Well," Salem huffed, sitting back. "have fun, dear. I _assume_ I'll see you again in a month. I'll be sorely upset if I don't. Goodbye now."

The call was cut, the image changed - the chess piece again. And then even that was gone.

 _No! No, no, no, no-_ "NO! NOOOOOOO!"

"Cinder, it's okay, it's going to be okay-!"

Her eyes exploded, and so did her entire being; magic cast off, blasting Flora and Miltia into the walls...and then _destroying_ the walls. The entire room of the apartment melted and blew away, exposing open air and sky.

Alarms were going off elsewhere in the complex. People were staring and shouting from the streets.

"No..." Cinder whispered from on knees, fists clenched on the floor before her.

Cinder's soul reverberated, echoing and rising with a cacophony of pleading and screaming and _roaring_ ; she rose to her feet without using her hands at all, and blasted flames out of the soles of her boots, taking her into the sky faster than any airship in this world had ever gone before.


	5. Visiting Family And Moving Forward

After agonizing minutes, Cinder soared right into the city, roaring flames behind her, scorching the sides of tall buildings as she passed them by.

Left, right, left - six blocks forward, turn left - she remembered every inch of this city so intimately, so familiar, and she _never_ forgot the way back home, to the home she had had with them... _made with them here_.

She blew past her old high school, roared over her favorite park (the grass and trees caught fire as she passed).

Turn, turn, forward-

 _There_.

Cinder set down in the grass, right in front of the door, stumbling and staggering right against it as momentum carried her. A palm and a flash of Aura had it blasting inward, and she stalked in with her eyes aflame.

" _Lisari, Jenna!_ "

Her calls went unanswered - unneeded to be; rushing into the living room brought clarity in sight. And utter relief.

There they both were, sitting together on the couch - Lisari had a baby bundled in her lap.

And standing there to the side, arms at his sides, was Hazel.

_Thank god._

Cinder fell against the doorframe, trembling violently.

"Easy now," Hazel's gruff voice came to her. "Everything here is perfectly fine - no one is hurt. And no one's going to be. I give you my word on that, Cinder."

"And what...if _her_ word comes in to override yours?" Cinder gasped out.

Hazel's face was hard. His eyes held hers. "It won't. If it does, that is the last thing that woman will ever say to me."

"But you're here. She told you to come here, to do this, and you listened."

"I was sent here to watch them - and to watch out for you. I'm only doing that. Nothing more."

"For how long? What if I try to take them away, or take you away from _them_?"

Hazel sighed, crossing his arms. "I'd rather you didn't try either way; this is a lovely house, and more importantly, any one of these three could be harmed in the crossfire. I can't allow for that. Not for innocents. Especially not for an infant. Not from you, not from myself, and not even from Salem."

"So what will you _do_?"

"Persuade you not to do either of those things before you try."

Cinder straightened, and for lack of anything better, finally let her eyes settle on Lisari and Jenna properly. Relaxed, and held, and true. Three years and they looked no different from memory. They were looking at _her_ no differently from in memories - still with such love, such care, concern, so...expectation, hope, added in there now...

Cinder slowly walked around front of the couch, and kneeled in front of them. She looked at them, for a long minute. Just looked at them.

What could she possibly say after three years, after three years in which she had served...done...committed...

Heady and high, at the time, pushing on, more and more, unconcerned, just _high_. That power, the goal, the mission...

No real thought, no real time to stop and...feel.

Feel all the things she was feeling now over it all, looking up into those faces above her.

It was so strange, so...like she'd been having the longest dream, drifting and doing, but not really realizing...and now she had woken up. Sat up and been plunged into cold, hard clarity.

Context, realization, comprehension.

And they _had to know_ , they had to have _seen it on the news_ , they had to have _heard her broadcast_ , recognized their own- _her voice_! And then later, seen her image, they had to have...

Cinder fell forward, her head hitting the front of the couch. Her hands trembled and raised above her head, clasping together there. Vision blurred and tears spilled to the nice, familiar carpet.

No words came. Not from Cinder to them, and not from them to her.

What words could you even have for your twice terrorist pseudo-daughter?

What words could the twice terrorist pseudo-daughter ever give to her mothers to ever explain, to ever...anything? Any of it?!

There was nothing.

There would never be anything.

"Cin...look at us, please. Look up at us. It's alright."

Cinder obeyed, lips shaking. Face taut with every inch of distress she felt, with the grief, the _guilt_ , the- all of it. Her hands clasped, came to rest at her chest.

"Cin..." Lisari spoke on, hushed and gentle as ever in sweetest memory. "Whatever you've gotten yourself into, wherever you went, whatever you became...Everything we know you've _done_..."

Cinder would not be such a coward as to duck her head again, not even at those words. Those dreaded words of confirmation. Those deserved words...

"None of it means that you can't try and make up for it now," said Jenna, and she actually reached out her hand and placed it onto Cinder's head. That touch, longed for, missed for so long...so soft, so warm, so wonderful and so... "Cinder, honey, I'm looking at you right now and I can see that girl is still there. The girl who cried into my arms after she freed herself from her stepfamily, for hours into the night. Who was despondent the entire day afterward, and the day after that, to the point where we thought you were just going to waste away and kill yourself over it. And I see...that same girl...right here now over all of...over anything she's...I see that girl, and I'm so happy, so glad to still see her there. Here. Right here in front of me again. But you didn't die, you got better, you were happy, you were so sweet, you were kind, you were _good_. We saw you become so...and you still can be, again. You still _are_ inside! You just have to let it all out again, let it all go, feel it all, and then get better again. Become better, like you did before. You are _good_ , you can be _good again_. I know you can. Please, be good for us again. Be the girl you really are again for us. And not just for us, but for you, and for everyone else around you. Because that girl is _so wonderful, so kind, so compassionate and gentle,_ to animals, to- certain people- and we'd really love to see her again."

"We really, really would," Lisari nodded, reaching to place her hand over Jenna's - over Cinder's head. "Please. Try. Just try. Just forget...everything else...anything else...and try for us. Try again. It'll be hard, it'll be soul-wrenching, and it'll be a lifelong process - given everything you've done that we know of. But if you can just _try_ -"

A screeching noise filled the room, and two long black tentacles stretched across the room, and the sharp blades on the ends found their targets.

Heart and heart.

Those bladed tentacles tore free, and the Seer Grimm just hovered there. Waiting.

Hazel roared, whirling on the Seer and throwing himself at it, seizing it up and slamming it down. He shoved an aura empowered fist through its core, shattering it.

Cinder was frozen at her spot on the floor. Frozen, staring at the bloody chests in front of her. The blood that poured down Lisari's chest, spilling onto the baby in her lap.

"Cinder - move, get them up. We'll get them to a hospital!" Hazel's wide eyes scanned the injuries. Then he was bending over and lifting Jenna in his arms, bridal style. "Cinder!"

"Cin...please...M-Maggy..." Lisari was gasping, shuddering. Eyes pleading. "Take her, k-keep her _safe_ \- happy...like we did for y-you...all those years... _please_...You w-were our _daughter_ , _she's our daughter_ \- please! _P-Promise..._ "

Cinder rose to her feet, bending low and awkwardly taking the baby - Maggy? - into her arms.

Hazel had gone from the room. But no sooner had she realized this than he had returned; empty-handed. He took up Lisari now, and left with her too.

Cinder followed after him, careful with her bundle. The bundle that was screaming, crying - desperate, begging, _yearning_...

Hazel was loading Lisari into a van, laying her next to Jenna.

He moved swiftly around the vehicle and got into the driver's seat. He gazed at Cinder. "Go. Take that girl with you - do as your mothers have said. Whether they live or die today, the outcome is the same."

"Salem-"

"The outcome is the same," Hazel repeated gently.

With those words said, he peeled off down the streets.

Cinder was left standing on the sidewalk, holding a screaming infant who was covered in fresh mother's blood.

_You were our daughter, she's our daughter..._

Cinder looked down at the infant, face screwed up.

"It's- going to be- okay...sis?" She tried to sound any sort of motherly - but then, she didn't have the best experience with that to drawn from, did she?

She was sure she was just screwing it all up.

Screwing that up or not, there was something she was determined _never_ to fail in: her mother's possible, final words to her.

"I promise," Cinder said to empty air, her eyes lighting up amber.

She lifted off gently from the ground, and began a long, solitary flight across the blue sky.

Well, almost solitary.

* * *

Although Maggy had cried the entire trip, right at the end she had quieted down and gone still.

Cinder flew above the city, uncaring, and spied from high the ruins of Miltia's apartment.

There was no sign of Miltia or Flora - or Neo, for that matter.

Cinder took out her scroll, operating it one-handed, with far less finesse than Neo could. Still, she managed to tap out a slow, arduous message to Neo.

**Where are you?**

Neo's response came near instantly: **Jr.'s.**

Cinder flew off for the nightclub immediately.

She touched down in front of it and walked right in - no guards this time.

As soon as she entered, she spied Flora, Neo, and Miltia gathered at the bar - along with a watching Junior.

"Is that a _baby?"_ Junior exclaimed, slapping a hand to his face. "Great, just what this place doesn't need! This isn't exactly advertising itself as a family friendly venue, you know that, lady! And just _why_ is a baby here, anyways? These ladies tell me you blew the hell out of an entire apartment on your own - scary stuff, by the way - and now you show up like this here? What exactly are you getting me dragged into? I'd love to know that, so I can figure out how long I have left to live."

Cinder turned flaming eyes on him, but said nothing as she walked to Flora. Straight to her.

Flora carefully took her into a hug.

A hug that Cinder melted into.

"What's happened?" Flora said softly. "Can you tell me?"

"Salem happened. She attacked- might've killed- I don't know yet. Hazel took them to the hospital. But their injuries didn't look good. They told me...I promised...keep her safe. Protect her. Raise her. Try to...I promised."

Flora gave a nod. "Alright. Gods, alright...Are you good with her, or should I take her?"

"Can you do better with her than me?" Cinder asked, toneless.

Another nod, a tiny smile of assurance. "I've had a few experiences with babies - my aunt's, a few times, and a family friend's, once or twice."

Cinder handed her over.

"What's her name?" Flora asked, quiet as could be, staring so intensely down at Maggy's little face. Her closed eyes.

"Maggy. She's- I suppose- my sister. Technically. Or...not technically." Cinder's mouth was on autopilot, flat. "I don't know."

"Alright. Well, I think we should head out for Atlas _now_ ," Flora spoke. "We bring Maggy with us, we get her as far away from anywhere you've ever been as possible. At least then it might take a bit before any more of that evil bitch's goons can find us all again. Right?"

"Right...let's go." Cinder looked to Neo, to Miltia. "Are you two ready?"

Neo gave a nod, her eyes rapt to Maggy. Her expression one of utter heartache and sympathy.

Miltia just walked past Cinder. She stopped a few paces away. Her head turned, just so. "I'm sorry you have to join me in this today."

"They might not be dead," Flora spoke firmly.

"I'm still sorry," Miltia said quietly.

"Thanks," Cinder replied, just as quiet.

"Yeah, that's right - everybody, take your insane, deep shit out of my club, _please dear god in heaven_!" Junior shouted. He gestured toward the door, started making shooing motions. "And don't come back, any of you! You hear? Keep your crazy asses up north for me - for a long, long time."

"We'll try," Flora said diplomatically. "Thank you for hosting us - it was a pleasure to be here."

"Wha? Oh, uh, sure. Now get lost, girlie! All of you - I mean it! Get out!"

They obliged him in moving for the exit.

On her way past him, Neo took the time to kick out at Junior's shin, felling him with a loud cry of pain - and plenty of swearing after her.


	6. A Day In...Atlas?

"You know, back when I _thought_ you were just a troubled, wandering woman trying to find herself - and _maybe_ keep herself out of some kind of vague trouble - I was endeared. I was excited to come with you. But this? This isn't exciting: it's terrifying, it's awful."

"I do know," Cinder said quietly, paying glance to Flora, sitting beside her on the airship. Fake ID's and a discrete payout to a few personnel had allowed them safe and easy boarding, passage out of Vale's airport (things Flora had disapproved of, but allowed for because of the graveness of the situation). "And I- I'm sorry, okay? That you have to be stuck so deep in all of this now with me."

Flora smiled at her. She leaned against her, setting her head on her shoulder. "I'm sure we'll figure it out together. All of us. That's why we're even all here, right? A bunch of friends who just...just will have to do their best with the situation at hand."

 _Friends?_ Cinder looked to Neo, to Miltia, sitting together two rows up (the girl who didn't want to talk, and the woman who couldn't; a perfect duo). She shook her head, looking down at Flora. _I hardly know these women. I only half-way even_ like _Neo. And not even "like," it's more like "respect." We're all as far from friends as possible..._

 _But,_ a little voice in her head spoke up. A voice that sounded suspiciously like a little girl's. _you didn't know Lisari or Jenna at first, either - or Flora - and look how that's turned out for you! Maybe, if you get to know Neo and Miltia, they could turn out to be the same way..._

 _Shut up,_ Cinder snapped back at that voice. _I don't- I'm not-_

"Cinder?"

"Yes?"

"Your boss...she...she looked-" Flora struggled. "Like a monster. Like an evil queen right out of a fairy tale. And it wasn't just bodypaint or something, was it?"

"No, it wasn't bodypaint."

"What is she?"

"Not human," Cinder responded in whisper. "Some sort of grimm, different from any other. A...leader of grimm. She makes them, she tells them what to do."

"That sounds even more like a fairy tale. Or a horror story," Flora replied, lowering her voice to match Cinder's.

Cinder snorted. "Tell me about it."

Several hours passed them by in silence, until Cinder's scroll was alerting her.

She opened it with trepidation. But when she saw the ID of her caller, she wasted no time in accepting it.

"Hazel," she whispered. "Are they okay?"

Hazel just shook his head, looking absolutely solemn. "Regrettably, Jenna Rynon passed half an hour ago. The hospital isn't certain that Lisari will pull through, either. Even with Atlas technologies, the chances of saving her would be very low. I am sorry. You should prepare yourself for the worst again."

Cinder fought with herself for a long moment. In the end, she shoved every bit of it down deep. "Thank you," she croaked out.

"I know what it's like to lose a loved one," Hazel spoke, almost gently. "If you need to talk...call me again."

"Will you even still be alive then?" Cinder retorted. "The Seer heard every word you said - _she_ heard every word you said."

"Yes, that's likely why she directed it to make its attack at all," Hazel sighed. "Lady Salem does not abide traitors. As she has told us before. My declaration of fact was enough for her."

"Yes..."

"I'll survive - no need to fear for me," Hazel said. "Just keep yourself hidden, and far from any places of interest to her. That is as good as any of us can do."

"Okay."

"I'll call in again with any further news. Hazel, out."

Cinder let her scroll drop into her lap and sat back in her seat.

Flora stirred against Cinder. "He seemed like a nice guy."

"He...is."

"I'm glad. We need all the help we can get against that monster."

Cinder sighed, slumping. "Yes, we do."

"Hey..." Flora lay her hand over Cinder's. Pressed her cheek against her shoulder. "We can do this. I know we can. As long as we all stick together."

"And what about the people we- care for?" Cinder replied. "What about that aunt of yours?"

"She's Mistral Security - she can handle herself."

Cinder hesitated. She shrugged. "If you say so."

"When was the last time you used your semblance?"

The randomness of the question, and its personal nature, caught Cinder off guard. It probably shouldn't have - it was Flora's way.

Cinder thought back. That one was easy: Beacon. But she couldn't very well give Flora _that_ answer, could she? Just thinking about that night was making her feel twisted inside... So, then, the _next_ last time she'd used it, past that...? When had that been? Barring all the grimm around Salem's castle...? A year? Two? Three...? Really? Had the last time she'd earnestly used her semblance with animals _really_ been the night Salem had come for her? "Three years," she muttered out, her stomach squirming.

"Could you use it again when we get settled into Atlas?"

"I...could. Why?"

Flora's head came up, and she'd grabbed Cinder's arm as well as her hand now. She was peering with those gray eyes of hers, glistening with excitement. Her face so close to Cinder's... "Because it sounds so adorable, and wonderful - talking to animals! And I would _love_ to see you do that! And you could get yourself a new pet. Maybe a bird? That way it could even have the practical use of being a scout for us. A spy?"

"A new pet..." Cinder frowned. Considered. A warmth bloomed in her at the idea. It _had_ been a long time since - and by now, she did have the power to keep them safe, didn't she? The power she'd lacked, feeling so helpless back then, as a child, with every loss...wished she'd had... "I- I suppose it- couldn't hurt? And yes, a scout would be useful - though I rarely ever did talk with birds..."

"Why not?"

"They just weren't-"

"Weren't cute and fluffy enough?"

Cinder smiled against her will. Cheeks hot. "Y-yes...something like that...I- loved rabbits the most. Mice, too - they could actually hide around in my room much easier than others. I used to have this female mouse I'd carry around in my pockets...but she..." Cinder blew out a breath, falling silent.

"What would you name a bird?"

Cinder shrugged. "I don't know..."

"Something cute - like Flighty, or Wingy, or-"

"Casey."

"Or an actual name, that's good, too," Flora said brightly, nodding. "Very cute."

"You think so?" Cinder murmured, wringing her hands in her lap.

"Yeah."

"Well- thanks. But it isn't my best..."

"Well, why don't you tell me some of the other names you had for your other pets before?"

"Okay," Cinder agreed, and she spent a long while telling her just that - along with, at Flora's extra prompting, explanations on how and when she'd met them all. She relaxed, she smiled - she began to really enjoy herself. When Flora would laugh, widen her smile at her...because of her...Cinder just wanted to see it happen again and again.

After landing on the pristine pad on the edge of Atlas, the group disembarked.

They called a taxi service and took it to the nearest, wonderful hotel tower.

Cinder appraised the gleaming lobby with utter distaste - it might have impressed some, but for her, it just reminded her way too much of her stepfamily's mansion. So much prettiness to mask the ugly...

Flora approached the counter, starting up talks with the receptionist.

"Um, excuse m-me? Your rates are _what_?"

Cinder eyed Flora as she wandered back over to the group with Maggy in her arms, looking quite dejected - and a little bit outraged. "What's the problem?" she asked quietly.

Flora huffed. "I can't get us a room. Well, alright, I _could_ \- but we'd only be able to stay here for _half a day_! Every bit of the savings I have left, and that will only get us half a day in a multi-bed room!"

"A four bedded room?" Cinder asked. "How about only two? We could discuss sleeping arrangements to make it work-"

"I _did_ ask about a two bed room!" Flora exclaimed.

Neo dropped her umbrella - and her jaw. She stooped to snatch it up again, face flushed.

"I know - that was my reaction, too! Apparently, Atlas spares _zero_ expense! Ever! And I asked about other hotels, and they said most of them are already booked - this was our best chance! And we don't even _have that chance_!"

"Okay, Flora - calm down, breathe; don't wake Maggy." Cinder grabbed her arms firmly. "It's not a problem. We'll figure something out - remember?"

"What about Mantle?" Miltia spoke up, quiet and dull, her suitcase held in front of her. "We could catch a transport down. They're bound to be a dozen times cheaper."

"Dirt cheap, probably," Flora agreed, loosing a sigh. "Emphasis on dirt, I think."

Neo waved a hand and tapped in her scroll - shoved it in their faces. **It wouldn't bother me - I'm used to sleeping in places like that.**

Cinder shook her head. "Okay, then - so, we're going to Mantle?"

"Mantle," Flora nodded, still sounding very reluctant about it.

Cinder couldn't blame her; she'd seen the conditions of the place from above, during the airship flight in. And even just that look hadn't inspired any sense of safety or comfort in her. But...

"I suppose we don't have a choice," Cinder said finally. "Let's get back to the landing pads, then; we can catch a flight, hopefully - a short, easy one."

 _So much for my dreams about seeing this place,_ Cinder thought ruefully. _It was a short visit._

A quick, five minute flight later, and they were stepping out onto the grimy streets of Mantle.

 _Very_ grimy.

"We need baby supplies before anything else - even before a hotel room," Flora spoke up. "The Sanus-Solitas in-flight services aren't available to us now that we're not _on the flight anymore_."

Neo perked up suddenly. She reached to tug on Flora's sleeve, while she simultaneously reached into her jacket - and, seemingly, into the folds of space-time itself. The air rippled pink, shattering and melting away, so that when Neo held out her hand to Flora, she was holding up a small bag stuffed full of what appeared to be baby wipes and diapers.

" _O-oh._ " Flora gaped, taking the bag gratefully. "How did you...?"

Neo cocked a grin, hand on hip. She threw a look at Cinder, seeming highly pleased with herself.

Cinder's lips quirked with amusement. "It's probably best not to ask," she told Flora, patting her on the arm.

A light went on in Flora's head, shining out her eyes as she gazed at Neo. "Oh...did you- did you _steal_...? Well, that's f-fine, I mean, we are talking about a baby's needs...thank you, Neo, so much. That's all that matters, I guess...But we still need to buy a crib and a carrier - and milk!"

"Let's find ourselves a shop, then," Cinder said quickly, dropping her hand and setting off ahead of the others. "It will get dark, and cold soon."

"Right," Flora nodded, determined.

Cinder sent Neo a sincere look of gratitude; Neo sent her back an earnest smile.

* * *

After a quick stop at a little shop for all that they needed - all that Maggy needed - the group made their way to the nearest hotel (thanks to the helpful directions of the shop's clerk).

The hotel they found was, indeed, dirt cheap. Far more manageable for the group.

Two half-assed clean beds and a small room that might have been a walk-in closet, for how cramped it was.

The bathroom actually _was_ nothing but a closet - tiny sink, small toilet beside it, and a thin little shower stall.

But it would have to do.

At least there was enough space to put the crib up in a corner, Cinder reflected, watching Flora do just that. That should probably have been the most important thing.

_It is the most important thing._

Guilt welled up in Cinder. She stepped over to Flora, peering down into the crib where she had just laid Maggy down. "Does she...need anything?"

"I just checked her back in that shop - she shouldn't," Flora said seriously. "But if you'd like to check, feel free."

"Do you- think she _needs_ to be checked?"

Flora laughed. "You really have no baby experience whatsoever, do you?"

Cinder shuffled, looking away. "I really don't," she grumbled her admittance.

"Well, I think she'll let us know if she needs checking - she's finally sleeping again, so let's not ruin that. That's good for her."

"Okay."

Flora clapped her hands and looked around the cramped space. "So, how are we going to do the beds? Who's bunking with who? I haven't done this since boarding school. Not that we actually _slept with each other_ in boarding school...Usually..."

Neo shrugged, then she plopped herself down on the floor space between the beds, laying flat out on her backside. She put her hands under her head and crossed her legs.

Miltia sat on the right bed, putting her suitcase down carefully. "I guess this one is mine."

"Great!" Flora turned a smile on Cinder, head tilted. "How about us?"

"Bed."

"Together?"

"If- that's how you w-want it!" Cinder said quickly, flustered.

"If that's how _you_ want it," Flora returned.

"I'm fine with it!"

"I believe you; so it's settled," Flora said simply. She twirled and fell across the bed, laughing and smiling up at Cinder. "I have to warn you, though - I'm prone to rolling around a lot, and I'm also a bit of a blanket hog. If you can handle that, you'll be all right with me."

Cinder offered a half-hearted smirk. "I think I can handle it."

"Hah, we'll see!" Flora exclaimed. "A few good kicks and you'll be wanting to be down there with Neo."

Neo's head came up at mention of her own name. She spread her arms at Cinder in a welcoming gesture, patted the tight space beside her.

"I doubt that will be necessary," Cinder snorted. She raised her chin at Flora. "I'm not one to back down from a nice challenge."

Flora's eyebrows raised - a grin came to her face. "I'm a nice challenge? Thank you; that means a lot to me. But I think I'd prefer another word..."

"What word?" Cinder asked, confused but curious.

"Survive the night with me, and I'll tell you first thing you wake up - if you get any sleep at all!" Flora declared, and she rolled over and cackled to herself madly, clutching at her sides.

Cinder shook her head as she went to take her place in the bed with Flora.

* * *

"Hey, you survived!"

"Ugh...barely..." Cinder grumbled, arching her back and stretching out her legs. Several hours in, she had actually thought about resorting to her Aura in order to get some proper sleep. When she'd woken early morning to Maggy's crying and wailing, she had considered just staying up to avoid the cursed knees and feet pounding away at her backside. But she'd ended up returning to it, and enduring it. Flora was just so warm, so soft, and that smell, and the way every breath of hers fluttered across her neck...That was worth it all. Cinder hadn't felt so relaxed and happy- so downright _peaceful_ in _years_.

Flora's dainty hand traveled over Cinder's back, and came to rest on her bare arm. Shifting, and breath in her ear. Curly locks hung down, tickling Cinder's face. "Well, since you did - that word? It was _sexy._ "

"What...?" Cinder had hardly turned, and Flora had already rolled out of bed and jumped to her feet, casting off the blankets she'd stolen from Cinder in her sleep.

Why would she have wanted Cinder to call her _that_?

_Questions for later._

Cinder got out of bed, feeling strange and so very awkward. She caught Flora's eye; Flora flashed her a pretty little grin and turned away, laughing musically.

Cinder busied herself with nudging a sprawled-on-her-face Neo with a foot to the ass. Neo roused slowly, yawning silently and stretching out in all directions before rolling over and sitting up, hand braced on the nightstand and its awful, peeling paint.

"Up," Cinder said loudly.

Neo gave her a very pointed look, and fell sideways to lay limp again on the floor.

"Ugh...fine." Cinder turned on a heel and- never mind, there wasn't even enough space in here to _stalk_ away. More like a couple of firm steps to the nearest wall.

"Miltia's still asleep?" Flora asked, peering at the girl curled up on the bed alone.

"Looks like it," Cinder answered.

"We shouldn't let her; she might sleep all day," Flora continued, worry infecting her voice. "She needs to eat, exercise - get some sun in her."

"If you say so." Cinder strode for the bed and shook Miltia. "Get up - get dressed - we're going out together. You're coming with us."

Miltia groggily held up her middle finger, burying her face in her pillow - a mess of long dark hair hiding her there.

Cinder closed her fingers around the girl's upper arm. "It wasn't a suggestion! You're going to listen to Flora!"

"Wow, alright, Cinder - I didn't mean immediately- not like-" Flora spoke quickly, stammering. "You don't have to do it quite like that!"

Cinder looked at her. She dropped Miltia to the bed like a bag of rocks. She straightened up, that awkwardness rising in her again. "Right...sorry..."

"It's alright; it's really sweet that you care that strongly about her already."

Yes...strong care...that was what it was - definitely that.

Cinder quickly locked herself away in the bathroom, stripping off, to spend the next half hour under scalding hot to freezing cold shower waters.

Unfortunately, nobody was happy with her for that one - it took a _while_ for the water to warm up again for the others.

As Cinder waited for the last of them to finish their showering (Neo), she took up her scroll and checked her inbox. There was a missed call from Hazel, from late last night.

She instantly called him back.

"Is Lisari okay?" she blurted immediately.

"They think she stands a fair chance of making it now."

Cinder's entire being flooded with relief. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me - I'm just watching over her. If Lady Salem tries to finish what she started, I'll be here to do my best to stop it."

"Thank you," Cinder repeated anyways. She paused. "You know, I've known you for quite some time now, but I never...who did you lose?"

"My little sister, years ago," came the gruff, short response. "Her name was Gretchen."

"I'm...sorry."

"Don't be. You had nothing to do with it."

"I'm- sorry you're- hurting that way," Cinder clarified, struggling.

A small chuckle came through the line. "Right back at you, Ms. Fall."

"It's not Fall." It wasn't Fall - but it wasn't Nuveri either, was it? Yet, Nuveri was the only real name she knew. Hence the taking of a new one...but the new one had only been taken under Salem's direction. So it didn't suit her any more than the old one, did it? Then what was even left for her?

"I know."

"You know?"

"I do my research, just as the rest of you did. Especially for you; your identity was the only one Lady Salem never came out and told us."

"Yes, right...Well, thank you again. Take care."

"Same to you, Ms. Nuveri."

Hazel ended the call before Cinder could think up a response to that - possibly fueled by the anger shooting in her now at that name.

She really needed to solve that problem, didn't she?

But how?

"You really hate being called that." Flora sat down next to her on the bed, hands working at her hair with precision and patience.

Cinder sighed, looking at her. "Obviously."

"Obviously," Flora agreed, calm and simple. "Why not take a new name? Or, take back an old one. What about your birth name? Your father's?"

"I was three," Cinder said helplessly. "I don't- I don't...I don't remember what it ever was; for as long as I _can_ remember, it was Nuveri. Father was happy to take it, and happy to encourage me to take it as well."

"I'm sorry." A pause. Then, in gentlest of tones. "What about...Rynon?"

Cinder choked, hand going to her mouth. It hit her then, just right then: _Jenna was dead_. Jenna was dead, _and Salem had killed her!_ She doubled over, grabbing her head in hands and gasping a high noise. She fluttered her eye, tears spilling free. Flora touched her back, started stroking and patting at her. Cinder let her.

"I'm so sorry, Cinder, I shouldn't have even-"

"N-no, no! It's- they'd be okay with it. Me...taking it. I w-was always family, anyways, wasn't I, even if they never actually adopted me like they wanted to...Lisari would say it's okay."

"Alright."

Cinder wiped at her eye and sat up, blowing a shaky breath out. "L-let's go out now; I need fresh, cold Solitas air."

"Alright, we can do that."

They stood together, Flora holding Cinder's hand.

This didn't change, even after getting out onto the sidewalk.

And it didn't even change when Miltia came wandering out to them with Neo bouncing along next to her.

The three set off together, with Neo offering a wave, a smile, and a serious text telling them she was going to be a _damn good_ babysitter for Maggy while they were away.

Cinder, Flora's and Miltia's exploration of Mantle took them to a nice little coffee place. And then, to a chilly little park.

"Look! Birds!"

"What?" Cinder looked to the trees where Flora was pointing. "Oh. Great. Yes, you've found birds. Congratulations..."

Flora gave her a playful _nudge_. "Oh, you - your Semblance, remember?! Go do your thing, show me! Come on!"

Cinder eyed the trees, frowning. She ducked her head. "I...we could just forget it. I haven't- done it in a long time, and I..."

"Come on." Flora had seized her hand and pulled her up from the bench; she started dragging her toward the nearest tree. Miltia, meanwhile, remained sitting, determinedly crossing her arms. "You were excited about having a new pet again the other day! You can be excited now, too. You deserve to be. I love seeing you be."

Cinder allowed Flora to lead her to the tree, flushing.

Flora stopped under it, putting hands on hips. "Alright, now how does this work?"

Cinder gazed up into the branches. "It...I just...activate it, and talk. It...speaks to the soul, I think; it overcomes barriers of language, or even...things that have no language at all. Or even no _understanding_ of language at all. I- suppose that's just most animals, though, isn't it?"

Flora just smiled. "I suppose. Whenever you're ready."

Cinder focused inward, and reached in to pulse her Semblance to life for the first time in years. She gazed at a nest atop intersecting branches. Blue birds, she noted. She liked them well enough, she supposed...

 _"Hello...?"_ she called out, hoarse and tentative.

Chirping, bustling above. They'd at least reacted; that was good. More than she had hoped for, honestly. Birds were a bit...snooty, in her opinion.

 _"My name is Cinder. I'd like one of you to come down here - I have a nice perch for you._ _"_ she tried again, holding up an arm awkwardly. Several disheartening seconds passed, and then- a flash of blue, a fluttering noise - and a blue bird came down to land on her arm.

"Oh my-" Flora squeaked, wide eyed.

The blue bird's head turned instantly, staring at Flora. A little chirp, and then, it rose up in Cinder's mind - the mental, echoing voice. From soul to soul. _Who is she?_

 _"Ignore her; she's...fine."_ Cinder smiled hesitantly as the bird turned its attention to her again. _"I'd like to take you with me...but, you probably wouldn't do so well indoors, would you?"_ She frowned, shaking her head. _"Why don't you stay around here for me - I can visit you again soon. And we can talk._ _"_

A louder chirp. The voice resonated in Cinder again. _If you_ _must..._

Cinder huffed. _"I'd_ _like to."_

_I can't stop you._

A little grin. _"_ _No, no you can't._ _Deal with it."_

A shuffling of wings, talons digging into her arm. _So I will. Leave me be now._

_"Listen, you little-"_

The blue bird took off like a bullet, straight up into the tree again.

Cinder looked at Flora.

Flora looked at her.

And then she was covering her mouth, shrieking with pure mirth.

 _"That's it - Mantle's blue bird potential for scouting? Absolutely_ zero _!"_ Cinder yelled up to the tree branches, outraged. _"You rude- stupid- lost cause of a- ugh!"_

Flora was holding herself up against the tree with one hand, while the other was clutched across her stomach.

Once she'd recovered, she actually managed to formulate a proper question.

"Okay, so, you were speaking English - I understood you. But the bird also did, too? Why didn't they speak English? I heard bird noises, but nothing else."

"It doesn't work that way."

"Clearly!"

Suddenly, Miltia's voice was carrying across the distance. "I put my life in the hands of a bird-whispering moron?!"

Cinder whirled, doing her best to glare at her from afar. The teenager shifted on the bench, turning her back to her. Cinder growled. _Insufferable child_. _Why am I still protecting her?_ She turned her eyes on Flora. _Oh, right - yes - that's why._

"Alright, hey, let's look for squirrels or something!" Flora said excitedly, grabbing her hand again. Cinder let her again. "Something small, cute, fluffy - something not a bird!"

Cinder smiled. "Okay! Hmmm, well, I usually see them in places like...that way! Over there! Come on! Forget birds!"

This time, _Cinder_ pulled _Flora_ along after herself.

* * *

The next few days in Mantle were...definitely better than day one.

Four women and a baby in a dirty, cramped hotel room wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world. But it was workable, and they were all determined to make it work.

One disfigured, one mute, one wallowed in grief and depression, and the other...the only actual, functioning human being among them.

That one, functioning human being among them was keeping the others lively.

By force if necessary.

"What are we doing out here again?" Miltia whined. "We just did this yesterday, we don't have to do this again so soon. I hate the outside - I like indoors!"

"What _are_ we doing?" Cinder asked Flora, ignoring the girl's childish whining. "It's late out."

Flora flashed a smile, fluttered her fingers. "You'll see! Just come on!"

Neo bounced along happily with them - probably just to spite Cinder and Miltia. Or maybe because it was making Maggy giggle in her carrier. Who could really tell? For some ungodly reason, Neo had become absolutely _smitten_ with Maggy.

"This is a festival," Cinder commented, observing all the vendor stands, crowds threading between each other, and abundance of lights and decor.

"Yep! It's not too big, not too involved - Mantle can't afford that, especially not lately - but I think it's still wonderful," Flora finally explained. She was glowing, bouncing in every step. She twirled and walked on without missing a beat. "Just over here is where I really wanted to bring you guys. I think we could have a lot of fun!"

Cinder eyed the man standing in the circle, atop the platform. The lights glaring down on it. Spotlights...

_Wait...oh no._

Flora grabbed Cinder's arm, practically hanging from her. Looking up at her, batting her eyelashes so pretty. She flourished a hand and pointed at the stage. "With your powers and sense of coordination, I thought you deserved a chance to show off!"

"Flora-"

"You could really draw a crowd!"

"That's not what we want here."

"Please - just try? For me? You'll be amazing! Just - one act, five minutes!"

"What am I supposed to _do_? Do you want me to dance? I don't dance!"

"But you fight, and that's almost like dancing, from what I've seen of you and Neo! Just do a bit of that - think of it like a combat training session, but with an audience. Practice your swings!"

"Floooooooraaaaaaa..."

"Ciiiiindeeeeerrrrr..."

Those eyes, that face, that heat, pressing to her...

"Fine...okay! I'll - pull something out. I can try. But just once - five minutes. You said it."

"Oh my gods, _yes_! This is going to be amazing!" And, quick as a flash, Flora had darted in and pressed a kiss to Cinder's cheek. Then she was drawing back, letting her go. Stepping back and hopping, waving her arms and gesturing at the stage. "Go on, go for it!"

"Let me think of something to even do first," Cinder retorted, exasperated - and dazed now from that _kiss_. It definitely hadn't been like those kisses Jenna and Lisari had used to plant on her forehead, or her cheek, sometimes. Same place, _far different_ feeling behind it. She eyed the stage, looked down at her own hands. Bit her lip, anxiety rare but risen in her. A fluttering. What could she do that would stand up to Flora's wish for something amazing? What could she do to _really_ impress her? She wracked her brain, and then it came to her. Something, slowly, forming in mind. She nodded to herself and drew breath. She stalked forth and stepped up onto the stage, confident now, plastering on her face a smirk.

She cast a sidelong look at the man next to the edge. "You might want to step back a bit more. Just a bit."

He did, looking at her with interest. "Let's see what you've got, Ms...?"

"Rynon," Cinder said, absent but certain.

It wasn't his interest Cinder wanted here.

She turned to face Flora, zeroing in on her alone - forget the crowd behind her, forget all those faces expectant, eager. There was just one that really mattered...

Cinder swayed her hips, put a foot forward, and brought her arms up slowly over head. The smallest _pulse_ of magic and mind - not nearly enough to trigger her Maiden's trademark eye flames of flickering amber; a glass spear capturing roiling flames inside it was conjured from thin air, held in both hands lightly.

Cinder dragged her foot around in half circle, turned her body to the left and brought the spear twirling down on that side, wrists rotating, spinning it like a fan. Rapid, expert, precise. She put herself through some basic paces more, right, left, then throwing in some twirls and spins. Before long, she was spinning the spear under her arms, between her legs as she flung her body back and lifted a leg high. She let it spin around her neck several times on its own momentum as she twirled low to the stage floor, rolled a shoulder to flip it into the air and catch it on outstretched palm.

Cinder straightened and committed to a sideways flip, and at height of arc, upside down, she pulsed her magic and cloned the spear. The second one formed like cell division, right out of the original spear. When she came up on her feet, she had one in each hand.

Cinder began to spin them both, throwing herself left and right, backflipping and frontflipping, tossing them about to catch them on a foot in mid air and transfer them back to hand. She'd handstand and catch them across soles of her boots, and then flip them a dozen feet high to catch in hand by the time they'd come back down again. She pulsed her magic through the both of them; they exploded, becoming pure flames.

She smirked at the gasping crowd - at Flora who leaned in and jumped up and down, absolutely captivated!

Cinder whipped her hands through the air, creating flaming trails all around her in intricate patterns and ribbons that lingered. She raised an arm and a flash of blue burst from her palm; an icy pole appeared on center of stage. Cinder created a second one, and a third - and then a fourth, a vertical bar.

She twisted and flipped, swung herself about on hands and feet, trailing flames under and over, and all around in spirals as she spun down a vertical pole. She gave a dainty aura kick of a boot to the pole, sliding across the stage toward another, where she hooked an ankle and flipped around it. On that momentum she twirled her way up to her feet once more, flipping her head back with gusto, a joyous grin splitting her face. She fronflipped over the bar, used the spears to swing herself down under it the way she'd come. She rolled backwards and came up against a pole, back to it.

Cinder flashed her hands out, blasting over the crowd with a spread of snowflakes glistening blue beauty of magic.

She brought her arms inward furiously, and her snowflakes rushed back in to her; a swirl of an arm and the snowflakes followed suit, a wonderous whirlwind around Cinder, obscuring her.

Under cover if it, Cinder flared her Maiden eyes and tilted her head back, preparing...

She threw her arms skyward, and a swirl of flames began to spin around her, another layer just inside the snowflakes.

Snow and fire, Cinder twirled inside it all, and then she stamped a foot and sent it all wooshing up into the night sky, a hundred feet tall, before it finally dissipated - along with the rest of her pole constructs.

Cinder stood poised on a now empty stage again, that foot there, a hand on her hip, an arm still held up.

Her eye found Flora alone.

Flora's face was flushed, her chest heaving - was she hyperventilating?!

Cinder didn't think she had been _that_ good...

Nonetheless, the crowd of onlookers seemed to have grown significantly since she last bothered to inspect it - and it was now loud, shrill, whistling and cheering abound. So great and rambunctious was it that Cinder failed to notice the girl dressed in red near the back (and nor did she notice when the girl quickly fled down the street).

Cinder dropped her arms to her sides and awkwardly shuffled forward, hopping off the stage. She went right for Flora - who immediately swept her into a tight hug around the neck.

_Sure, strangle me, why don't you...this is fine..._

It really was the most wonderful thing to feel.

* * *

Meanwhile, several blocks away, several teenagers had their attention caught by one red-hooded girl waving her arms and rushing up to them, out of breath entirely.

"Ruby, what is it?" Yang asked, staring.

"Did a grimm get in?" Black asked, worried.

Ruby huffed and puffed, hands on her knees. She raised a hand, a single finger. Once she'd caught her breath, she straightened, looking utmost serious and flustered.

"I was just over that way, checking out the vendors, and this really nice street performance caught my eye, so I went to check it out too, and when I got there I-"

"How good _was it_?" Weiss interrupted, amused. "To get you all riled up like this. You're usually only like this about weapons. And food."

"No, no, it wasn't _good_ \- I mean, okay, yes, it actually _was_ really amazing - but that's not the point!" Ruby said frantically. "The point was the person who was doing the performing! It was Cinder!"

Staring. Silence.

"Cinder," Yang repeated.

"Yes!"

"The Cinder who died?"

"Yes - she's not dead, clearly!"

"The Cinder who led two terrorist attacks on two separate kingdoms, serving an immortal grimm mistress?"

"Yes, gosh, guys, I swear it was her! We have to tell Ozpin, we have to tell Ironwood - we have to-"

"You saw _Cinder Fall_ standing right out in the open, during a busy festival, doing a street performance?" Weiss said steadily.

"She was using _magic_! It was her, I'm serious!"

"Cinder Fall was using her Maiden magic...for street performance?" Yang said slowly.

"YES!" Ruby yelled, jumping up and down.

"Are you _sure_ it wasn't just some woman who looked like her?" Blake said quietly. "It _is_ dark right now, and if they were moving around too much for you to get a clear look..."

"Well, I _was_ in the very back of the crowd...but it was her! I saw her face, I saw her!"

"Okay, look, let's go check it out, then," Yang said, placating. "If it's really her, we'll deal with her."

"If it's her, she can't be up to anything good," Weiss agreed, sighing. "Though _what_ street performing has to do with taking down a kingdom, I have no idea..."

"Come on; she was this way!" Ruby yelled, already racing off down the street again.

But by the time the girls would get there, they wouldn't find who they were looking for.

Though, that would not deter one Ruby Rose.


	7. Being A Qrow

Cinder eyed Neo with Maggy very closely as they sat together in the coffee shop.

It was a bit of a personal celebration, this outing - due to having gotten news from Hazel that Lisari had stabilized, and was out of critical care and now into just...general care. Not that that meant things were fine and dandy - no, not by any means - but it did mean she had a very high chance of recovery now. Of living on.

As she watched Neo, she finally decided to ask the question that had been on her mind for the past several days now - even since before the little festival outing, she realized.

"How and _why_ are you so good with her?"

Neo just smiled.

"Seriously, I'd like to know," Cinder pressed, setting her drink down and spreading her hands on the table. "I- look, I realized I don't exactly...know much about you. About your life before we...met. But I want to get to know you - the you from before. You must have had family, gone to some kind of school, had friends? How do you go from that, to being the right hand of a man like Torchwick at the age of nineteen?"

Neo withdrew her scroll and tapped at it, then she slid it across the table with a careless little push, returning her focus squarely to Maggy again.

Cinder took up the scroll and read the message.

**I'm good with Maggy, because I was good with mine.**

"Wait, what? You had a-"

Neo held up a hand, shook her head firmly. Her lips were pressed together tight.

"Okay - sorry I asked," Cinder backtracked quickly. _Ugh...this trying-to-make-friends-out-of-allies thing is a lot harder than I thought..._

* * *

"See, I told you it was her!" Ruby cried, with utter vindication - and no small level of annoyance. After days of Team RWBY plus Qrow scouring all of Mantle looking for signs of Cinder Fall, only to, in the end, find her sitting out in the open in a coffee shop was just...infuriating.

"And Neo's even with her," Yang said. Then her eyes fell on the black-haired girl in red shirt and black pants who had come to join Cinder and Neo at the table. "No way! Is that-"

"Who?" Weiss asked.

"From the nightclub back in Vale! One of those twins I fought - I forget their names."

"And who's the other woman with them? I've never seen her before," Ruby wondered, eyes furrowed.

"Neither have I." Yang shook her head.

"Me, neither," Weiss chimed in.

"I don't recall her at all, either," Blake spoke. "But that isn't what worries me," she went on, tone turning soft. "Look: look at Neo."

"Oh my gosh," Ruby whispered. "They're holding a _baby_ hostage!"

"That's sick," Weiss snarled.

"It's disgusting," Blake agreed, quiet. "Before we do absolutely anything else, we need to get that innocent child away from them and into safe hands. I'm sure their parents have been distraught over their disappearance. Nothing else matters. Not even bringing them in."

"Right," Ruby said firmly. "We have to come up with a way to separate them - a way to save that poor baby."

"We should talk to Qrow and the others first," Blake said. She turned her head to indicate with eyes alone, the black crow sitting on a nearby signpost.

"We really do need a plan first," Weiss said, troubled. "We can't just go rushing in there trying to fight them."

"How in the world are we going to beat a Maiden?" Yang sighed.

"We don't have to beat her - just distract her, keep her at bay," Ruby said, determined. "Just long enough to get that baby from her safely! Though, it'll still likely take all of us to do this right. Even Penny, if she's willing to help us."

* * *

Qrow Branwen perched on the sign, staring in through the window of the shop.

Even after the girls gave him a really non-discrete wave and walked off down the street, he stayed behind.

Some things never changed, he thought, amused. Here he was again, using his bird form to spy on Cinder Fall - and a few other agents of Salem's.

Only this time it wasn't because of Oz's orders - it was his niece's observations, at a festival five days back.

And now it was confirmed: Cinder Fall was alive, and right here in Mantle.

Their enemies had either moved really fast on this one, or they'd already been here a while.

Qrow would have bet on the latter, watching them in the shop now.

They were at ease, they were familiar - routine.

Looking to all the world like a gaggle of women enjoying a morning out.

They even had a little baby with them in a cute little carrier.

That baby...

Why did they even have it?

Whose was it?

A kidnapping victim?

But why?

What would they get out of that, besides a massive search party led by distraught and terrified parents, and a chance of capture if anyone recognized the baby?

Qrow had no idea. No answers.

Well, whatever the story was there, priority had to be getting the baby away from them. Just an innocent little thing...lugged around by one of the worst women in the world...

Qrow observed the group until they got up to leave.

He stayed where he was as they came out onto the street - an unassuming black bird on a sign. He'd gotten pretty good at playing the role right; if he'd flown away, that would have caught an eye, and possibly even been caught in a _mind_ as suspicious behavior for a normal bird.

So he stayed, ruffled his feathers a bit and shifted on his talons as they came down the sidewalk toward him.

They passed him by, talking among themselves and not giving him a second glance.

Until one of them did - a woman at the back of the group, with brown hair styled up prettily. A soft, kind face to her. Not the kind of person who looked like she should've been running with this crowd, Qrow mused - was she the mother? A hostage, along with her kid?

"Oh - Cinder, look, look, another bird! Neo, don't you dare spook it! Try this one, try your Semblance again!"

A sigh from Cinder Fall, turning sharply on a heel to look directly at Qrow. Irritation on her face. "Flora, this is the _fourteenth bird_ you've tried to get me to bond with! It's just not going to happen; birds are just- not good pets, okay? Forget it."

"Please!" the woman - Flora - persisted. "Lucky number fifteen?"

Another sigh. "Fine. At least this one is a crow."

He stayed perfectly still as the woman stalked right up to him. She got real close, her face filling his view.

_"Hello."_

Qrow startled. _What the hell?_ He'd heard her in his head, felt something ripple across his _soul_! In his deepest core. It was the most unsettling, disturbing thing he'd ever felt in his life. _Her Semblance?_

_"You don't have to be scared; why don't you hop over onto my arm here? I'd like to try being friends..."_

Qrow stared up at the woman's face. Expectant, a bit impatient - and nervous. Was she...actually talking to him? Or, to the bird she thought he was? That feeling, the echo in his mind...was that what it was? Her Semblance was to commune with birds? Soul to soul? Well, shit, he couldn't now fly off without alerting her with one hundred percent certainty that he wasn't a normal old, non-sapient bird, could he? And wasn't that just his damn bad luck, that the guy with the ability to turn into a bird would run into the only person in the world with the ability to talk to birds...

With greatest reluctance, Qrow hopped off the sign and onto the outstretched arm of a great enemy.

Cinder's face changed, flushing with relief and even happiness. A smile came to those lips as she brought him up closer. _"So, do you come to these streets often?"_

Qrow gave her a normal old bird squawk.

She frowned at him.

_Wrong move..._

_"You're a very quiet thing, aren't you?"_ Cinder remarked. She looked at him with a single eye, critical - but shimmering now with something like compassion. _"I wonder why...Were you ever hurt, or is it a disease? Or are you just really, really solitary in nature?"_

"What did it say?" Flora was speaking again, coming up next to Cinder. She leaned in, hands on knees, beaming at Qrow.

"This one doesn't seem to want to _say_ anything at all." Cinder shook her head. "I'm getting _nothing_ from it. I've never gotten _nothing_ from an animal before! It has to be hurt, or it caught a throat illness, or- or something! Something awful."

"Well, maybe that's what makes number fifteen special?" Flora spoke lightly. "And so cute that you just _have to_ take it home with you!"

Cinder gave a laugh, soft and true. "Right. Special. Though, you are right: he is a real cutie. Okay, then - new pet acquired!"

 _Pet? Hell no._ _Except...I could get more information than I ever dreamed of, if I let them take me right to wherever it is they're staying. If they talk and talk, thinking I'm just some bird. I can easily leave out some window at any point. I can't pass this chance up - getting closer to the enemy, unawares, unsuspecting...and I'd be in the best position to get away with that kid, too..._

So Qrow stayed right there, cooperated when Cinder moved him to her shoulder, and they started off down the streets together.

Most of what they talked about on the walk there was inane babbling, with some jabs and ribbing - no different from the sorts of things his kids would get up to with each other.

Qrow supposed even his enemies needed to have their downtimes; you couldn't be planning all the time, could you?

He did his best not to flinch or _bite_ whenever Cinder would reach up to stroke her finger against him. He couldn't have her deciding he wasn't worth keeping around - keeping close.

_The things I do for the sake of the mission..._

Qrow took note of the street signs, the shops around them as they continued on through Mantle's downtown. Finally, when the group moved into a crummy, small hotel building, he memorized the name of it and the street address. Furthermore, he committed to mind the exact number on the door of their room as they passed through it.

He watched them all unwind and spread out - watched closely as the one called Neo went and set the baby down in a corner. Cinder, meanwhile, walked right to the window - tapped a finger to the dirty sill. It was closed, but what she wanted out of him was obvious.

_"You can stay right here for me. I have a big couple of favors to ask of you - if you'd be willing, please."_

Qrow was glad to leave Cinder's person, flap down to the window. He got his balance there, and then Cinder was lowering herself down. Putting her face on level with him. Her hands grasped the sill.

Cinder's expression was solemn, and anxious. _"The first favor...is that I'd like to ask you to look out for some people for me around the city. Very dangerous people. They'll be coming here sooner rather than later, I think - after me. After us. To kill us. Tyrian Callows, Arthur Watts, Mercucy Black and Emerald Sustrai, and...and possibly even Salem, herself. I don't know. These individuals are very- very bad people. I'll give you descriptions of them, and if you see even one of them...I want you to come back here and tell me. Somehow. I'll let you out to scout around every day, but I'd really like to keep you close at all times otherwise."_

Qrow stared at her as she listed off physical descriptions of the other followers of Salem - appearances he already knew about. What was going on here?

Cinder's head turned, her non-damaged eye fell on the baby - Maggy, he knew now. A girl. _"See her? That's- that's my baby sister. She's the one, most of all, that I need you to keep watch over while you're with us. Salem k-killed her mother, my mother. Our mother. One of them, anyways. The other, thankfully, survived the attack. But I..."_ She trailed off, clearly struggling with herself. This close, it didn't take keen bird eyes to see the tears welling in her functioning eye. Didn't take much to see the way her throat swallowed, hard, or the way her fists clenched on the sill, or to hear... _"I promised mom I'd do everything I can to protect Maggy, keep her safe and hidden from Salem. So that is what I'm doing. What me and my- friends- are doing. All of us are just...trying to survive, to keep hidden from the monster that wants us dead. Dead for getting in her way, dead for messing with her plans, dead for betraying her and abandoning her."_

Qrow ruffled his wings, shifting majorly on the spot. _So, these people have left Salem's cause? They're being hunted for it?_ _Their loved ones killed over it? That isn't hard to believe - Salem would do it, and worse, to anyone who betrayed her...or even just chose to stand against her. But these people? Cinder Fall, of all of them?_

But she couldn't be lying - who'd lie to a bird? - and the way she looked, the way she was talking, you couldn't just _fake that_. So this had to be the truth. Deep and real. Though, to account for the chance it was all some ruse, Qrow decided he had to properly investigate this as soon as he could get away from them.

 _"Anyways,"_ Cinder said, rubbing at her eye and clearing her throat. _"That's- my task for you. Keep watch out for those individuals, and keep a watch over Maggy for me. Please."_ She eyed him a long moment. _"Could you just- give me some kind of response here? An affirmative squawk or something?"_

Qrow complied.

Cinder gave him a smile, and a nod. _"Thanks...oh, I haven't even given you a name yet! You need one, for sure. But what...?"_

As Qrow listened to the woman go down a list of the most uninspired, uncreative names ever, he mused to himself that, _clearly_ , his enemies weren't nearly as cunning as he'd once thought.

Not that these women could be considered enemies, now, could they? Although, just because they'd abandoned Salem's cause, didn't mean their own ideals and ideas were good and righteous. How could you be, if you'd join up with an evil like that to begin with? But maybe there was an opening there for a truce, or even some kind of real alliance together against Salem and her other followers. Mutual benefit. Qrow knew he could count on that from just about anyone, at least. And he wasn't even a stranger to working with less than savory types of people. If it was possible with this group...

In the end, Cinder Fall settled on christening him "Zeke," which he learned through eavesdropping on the subsequent conversation that took place between these women, was apparently the name of some old, famous blacksmith (though Qrow had never heard of the guy).

Qrow endured being passed around and cooed over by these people - to the point where he risked an annoyed, fluttery flight up onto the high curtain pole above the window.

"Maybe you should let it hang out on the roof or something," Flora suggested to Cinder. "It really doesn't seem to like being inside like this - or being handled."

"Right." Cinder gave a nod. She opened the window and gestured at it, her eye on Qrow.

He looked at her, looked to the baby. He did need the opportunity to slip away and call the girls - make sure they didn't think he'd gotten lost or something - but on the other hand...he was really reluctant to let _this_ kid out of his sight now. If any of what he'd learned wasn't true - though, he conceded it was likely it _was_ all true - he didn't want to leave the baby alone with them again. Although, true or not, he hadn't seen them hurt the kid. Quite the opposite - they'd been caring, doting and loving as any parent would have been. But if that was a front for him, secretly knowing who he was, what he was...No, not even then, he argued with himself; they couldn't very well keep going outside with the girl if they were hurting her. Someone would see, someone would know. Especially if they were regularly taking her into public places like coffee shops.

So, no matter what, it was likely the girl really was...fine with them. As reluctant as he was to even admit that.

Qrow waited a good minute more, before he ended his internal battle, and flew out the window.

A minute, he told himself. Just a minute. Then he'd be right back there.

He flew up to the roofs, landed and changed back behind a great heat generator.

Qrow took out his scroll and called Ruby.

"Are you okay, Uncle Qrow?" her voice came in immediately, worried.

"I'm fine, kiddo. Just doing some extra recon on my own. The way only I can, you know?"

"Yeah," Ruby said, relieved. "Have you found out any good stuff about- her?"

"I've found out a hell of a lot," Qrow admitted, laughing. "But I need you girls to help me with something here - to help start to even verify if any of it is true or not. And, if it's not true...I need you all to be very serious and careful for me, if we're going to have any hope of safely getting a baby girl away from Cinder and her group. We _cannot_ risk collateral, or crossfire - not of the kid. So I need to know- that you can all listen to my exact word, follow my exact plan to the letter. No outbursts, no emotions, nothing."

"You mean Yang, don't you?" Ruby's voice held only the tiniest bit of mirth.

"Hey, I mean it. I said serious. You're huntresses now, and I need to know you can act like it."

"Okay. Sorry. How can we help? What's your plan, Uncle Qrow?"

"Well let me see here..." Qrow began.

After a quick rundown, he put away his scroll. Then, he transformed and flew back down from the roof; he went right back inside the window, landing on a bedpost.

And he waited, his keen eyes fixed to the baby Maggy.

And he hoped to god nothing would go wrong soon.

Hoped _he_ wasn't wrong about this.

* * *

Cinder stepped out the front doors of the hotel, out onto the streets, and watched as Zeke immediately took off for the skies, gliding over a rooftop to disappear again.

He really was one flighty bird, she thought, amused. At least there wouldn't be trouble getting him to play lookout for them - he wasn't going to perch himself somewhere and refuse to leave it.

"Neo - is Maggy all ready to go?"

Neo nodded, gave a little skip and a hop.

Cinder smiled. "Good."

"Where are we going again?" Miltia said, with a heavy sigh.

"We're just going to the park," Flora informed her. "It's nothing different from usual."

"Fine, then."

As they went from block to block, Cinder was pleased to note that Zeke was following along - from rooftop to rooftop, signpost to signpost, perch to perch.

When they arrived at the park, he flew into a high tree, disappearing into branches and leaves, and made a loud squawk.

Cinder wished she could've been nearby - had her Semblance activated. She wondered if she might have finally heard something out of him.

She sat with Flora under the tree Zeke had disappeared up into. Holding her hand, Flora leaning against her.

Idle chatter passed time by, and the occasional glance across the grass, to Neo and Miltia, and Maggy, at a lonely table.

Cinder was torn from peaceful relaxation by a series of high squawking sounds - Zeke! But the sounds weren't coming from up in the tree anymore; they were coming from behind a group of tall, thick bushes between two wide trees nearby.

Cinder stood, immediately making for those bushes, those great trees. It sounded like he was alarmed, or in pain, possibly! It was incessant, it was-

 _"Zeke, where are you?"_ she called, striding over to the bushes. He sounded like he was on the ground - behind the trees? Was he being attacked by another animal or something? She wasn't going to lose her new pet so soon! _"Zeke, talk to me for once!"_

Cinder leaped clear over the thick bunch of bushes, landing on the other side of them, and those two flanking trees.

And she froze.

"Hey."

Qrow Branwen stood before her, hand in his pocket. The other was grasping the hilt of his weapon, but it wasn't yet drawn.

Cinder conjured a flaming glass sword to hand, held loosely at her side, practically automatically. She glanced left and right, all around, her heart beating furiously; Zeke was nowhere to be seen - or heard. "What did you _do to him?_ Where is he, where's my-"

"Your what?" The huntsman, dangerous and one of Ozpin's inner circle, cocked a grin.

"My- my _pet_ , my _bird_! You- you killed him, didn't you?!"

"Hey, there are a lot of birds flying around out here - how am I supposed to know whether or not one of them is somebody's pet? Let alone yours. Besides, why would you have an ordinary bird for a pet? You strike me more as the type to have...I don't know...a sabyr grimm instead."

"Don't screw with me on this!" Cinder snarled, summoning a second blade and taking a step forward. " _Tell me, right now, where-_ "

" _What do you think you're doing?! Get away from her - let her go, right now! Cinder, Cinder help!_ "

Cinder whirled around instantly, weapons dematerializing, and leaping back through the trees with superhuman speed at sound of Flora's panicked screams. Pure terror gripped her heart. And then she landed, and at the sight before her, there was only _horror_.

_Maggy..._

Maggy, whose carrier was being held in hand by _Ruby Rose_.

Four other girls stood in front of Ruby, blocking Flora off.

Cinder took a step forward, arm weakly stretched out across the distance. A tremor, lips parted, vision blurring. The girls all had hands on weapons. _P-Please...don't...M-Maggy..._

Another step, and another.

The girls drew on her.

"Stay back!" Weiss Schnee called to her sharply. "We mean it - Ruby, get out of here!"

"I can't!" Ruby cried.

Cinder looked past the girls, and saw Neo and Miltia, who had just materialized out of shattered glass and pink light behind them. They both had their weapons readied. Umbrella out, claws extended.

Weiss Schnee flourished her rapier, and an icy wall appeared in a "U" shape around her and her team - cutting off Neo and Miltia squarely.

Cinder heard a thud, and glanced back to find Qrow Branwen stepping out from around the trees - putting himself behind her, and closely. She drew a shaking breath, ignoring him entirely and looking to Ruby Rose. She'd thought all she'd ever feel was hatred, vengeance, when faced with the girl again. But now, here, this...it was nothing of the sort. It was just pure panic, and utter desperation. Several dozen feet of open ground - too much for even her to clear fast enough...too much for her to reach, grab, get away with Maggy safely. She'd be putting herself into the fray, with all of them, and there'd be a fight, and if there was a fight...Maggy might surely be... _She'd promised..._ " _Please! Give her back, please don't do this, you c-can't take her from me! She's- she's m-mine, she's my little sister! You can't do this, you can't do this!"_

Ruby's expression shifted. Those silver eyes of hers widened.

"Yours or not, sister or not, she's better off not living with _you_ ," Yang spat out. "You're a terrorist, and a murderer! Hell, one of your two personal victims is standing right in front of you! Or do you not even remember her name?! Like with Jaune? How about a name you _should_ know - Pyrrha?! Look at her, fucking _try_ to even say it to her face!"

Cinder dropped her arm, and turned her gaze to the freckled imitation of a human girl. "P-Penny...Penny Polendina."

"You're responsible for Beacon. For what happened to me," Penny replied, nothing but distressed.

"I- I'm s-sorry."

"What?" Yang said loudly.

"I'm... _I'm sorry_. For you, for Pyrrha Nikos, for Penny, for Amber...for Weiss Schnee - the spear. I am...sorry." Cinder slowly lowered herself to her knees, holding up her hands. " _Please, I'm not even with Salem anymore, I left her, I don't care, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I left her, she wants to kill me, kill all of us - that's why we're here, we ran away, we're hiding from her - she killed my mother r-right in front of me, I- I fled with my baby sister! I p-promised, I promised I'd protect her, I...god, please, please just give her back, please I'm sorry, I'll do anything, I'll say anything, I'm sorry!_ "

The girls looked at her, then at each other in the silence filled by her sobbing and gasping. Ruby Rose moved forward, parting her sister and the Schnee girl. She stood there at forefront, holding Maggy still. Staring at Cinder.

Cinder lifted her head, tears falling, shaking. She met Ruby's eyes again now, and held it with all she had. Pleading. " _Please...I d-don't- I don't even...want to hurt you, I don't want to kill you, I don't b-blame you for doing any of this to me, I don't- I don't...I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do, I don't know what you want! Just take anything, take anything - just not her! Just give her back, please god, I love her, she's my sister, I have to protect her, she needs me...Salem will kill her, she'll kill her! She doesn't care, she has no fucking limits, there's no line - she'll kill her! Just to get back at me for leaving her! L-like she k-killed my m-mother already for betraying her...Please...Ruby Rose...I'm begging you..._ "

Ruby Rose bent down, and gently, carefully set Maggy on the ground. She stared at Cinder for still longer, and then she took a step back. "If you've really left Salem...if any of that is true - I hope it is, I have to hope, even for you, if there's even a _chance in hell_ \- then we're going to leave you alone, and _you_ are going to do the same for us! Mantle is big enough for all of us. But, when the time comes, I want you to prove it all - by helping to stop the grimm when they come, and by helping to stop Salem's _other_ followers when they come here to do what they do. What you did. What you _know_ they are going to come here to do. What we both know they're going to come here to do. Are we clear?"

Cinder stared into those narrowed, silver eyes that terrified her so. "Y-yes, yes we're clear. Please...just give me my s-sister back...Just let me have her back..."

"Come get her," Yang hurled out. "Crawl to us."

" _Yang_ -" Blake Belladonna gasped.

"It's the _fucking least she can do for us!_ " Yang shouted, her eyes turning red. "She fucking _murdered Pyrrha in cold blood, she got Penny killed, she- everything!_ "

"Okay." Cinder gave a simple nod. "Okay...You're r-right...That is the least I can do..." And, she reflected, it wasn't exactly a new experience for her in life - she had plenty of years behind her of being made to do this very same thing to, and by, her stepmother and stepsisters. What was one more time, if it meant getting Maggy back?

And so she did. Slow, careful, silent. She did. She crawled right to them, right to Maggy.

She reached, she touched the carrier, and she gently took it in hand. She looked up at those girls. " _I'm s-sorry..._ "

"Tell those other two to stand down, let us leave," Ruby spoke, a quaver in her voice.

Cinder nodded. "Neo - Miltia - let them g-go. We- we have a truce. Truce!"

"Truce," Blake Belladonna said quietly, nodding down to her. "We'll honor it. I hope, for your sakes, that you will too."

Weiss lowered her ice wall, revealing Neo and Miltia still standing there with weapons at ready.

Cinder made eye contact with the two. "Stand down, please - we _are not_ going to risk hurting Maggy!"

They obeyed her, but still maintained tense, wary eyes on the Huntresses.

Weiss and Blake stepped behind Ruby, to face Neo and Miltia. Yang and Ruby remained facing forward, looking down at Cinder.

The standoff continued in silence.

Until Ruby Rose moved. She stepped off to the side, and began to walk away. The other girls came up behind her, guarding, and they left. Cautious, and slow, and with many looks back. But they did.

Cinder just sat there on the grass, holding Maggy - carrier and all - in her lap, head bowed. A sob escaped her again - this one of pure relief.

She looked over to the trees, and saw no sign of Qrow Branwen. The passing thought came to her of just what his Semblance could even be; she'd never seen it in action, and there was no information about him that pointed to what it might be.

The girls were a good distance away now, almost at the street.

Cinder called out to them in the most sincere voice she could ever manage.

" _Thank you!_ "

Ruby Rose stopped. Her teammates passed her. She looked over a shoulder, shock written on her features, even from afar. Then, she gave the tiniest of nods, and continued on, that red cape of hers fluttering behind her.

* * *

"Can we really believe her? Can we believe any of it?"

Qrow sat back, sighing. "I've seen a lot of things in this world, kiddo - a lot of impossible things. I've seen friends become enemies, and enemies become friends. But for as great an enemy as this woman is? For everything she's done? I'd _say_ it's really damn unlikely. But, on the other hand, what I saw of her behavior was just so completely different from what we know is her usual that...well, she's either the world's damn greatest actress, and she knew who I was, or she was telling the truth. And none of what she did in front of you was inconsistent with how she was being in private with just me, either. I just can't square any of that with...none of it makes any sense unless it's the truth."

"So what do we do? How do we _know_?" Ruby asked, quiet. "I don't want to think I made a terrible mistake, even _thinking_ I might _possibly_ be able to trust her word - on anything! But how she looked, in her eyes, how she talked, she was...she was _begging_ , she was shaking, she was...You saw her! She even did what Yang asked! That was low, it was gross, but she did even that! Do I believe my eyes and my heart now, or ignore it in favor of how I know she was before? At Beacon, at Haven?"

"No matter what, we need to keep alert, be cautious with her - with them. And we need to keep watching them. And besides that, we need to start by seeing if her story even checks out. If she's really abandoned Salem or not, if she's really in hiding under a death sentence because of it. If their relatives have really been attacked over their betrayal of their former Master."

"How do we find out if it's true, for sure?"

"By checking into the facts of the story elsewhere - not just from their word and mouths - but wherever they happened, however it happened elsewhere. Facts, evidence, not just words. Yang said they've got a familiar face to her with them - from a club in Vale. Her name's Miltia, I learned back there. So, I'll get in touch with some old contacts in Vale, see if they can't investigate that part, at least. And as for her claim about her mother's murder..." Qrow eyed Ruby a long moment. "That's what got you, isn't it?"

"I...Was it stupid that it did...get me?"

"Some enemies always know just what buttons to press - how to prey on your weaknesses - manipulate you to their own ends." Qrow spoke slowly. "Who knows if that's what she was doing with you back there - grabbing for that, just to get that baby back from you. Knowing you'd cave to it. Because you...you hope, Ruby. You're a shining light in the world. You always have been. You trust, you have faith, you take chances - like you tried to do with Raven, back at Haven Academy. It didn't work out with my sister then...but maybe it did work today, with Cinder."

"Would my mom have done the same thing? Would she have believed her? Caved...?"

"You're like your mom in all the best ways," Qrow answered. "She was always the best of us; yeah, she would've believed her, too. She had real compassion to her, real _soul_. And you have that, too. And even though sometimes it might not work out...I'd never want to see you lose it. Because when it does work out...it works out something wonderful. I saw it before, with Summer, time and again. To be honest, I envied her that ability. I envy you, Ruby. I'd never have believed a word of it, not a second of it. And that would've escalated things, it would've...even with situational context set aside, I think it's better to be an optimist than a cynic. But it's something I just can't do."

"So you think I made the right choice?"

"We can't really say right now, can we? Who knows where the choice will lead us? We haven't walked down that path yet." Qrow paused. "And while I...I can't have faith in it myself, I can still put my faith in _you_ for being the one to lead us down it. Just like I chose to put my faith in your mom whenever she made a choice like this one."

"Thanks."

"Hey, no problem." Qrow sighed, stood. "I'll be back - time to see if the story checks out. Gotta make some calls - and then I need to get back to them. Might get suspicious without "Zeke" coming back, and if there's a real possibility of alliance, I don't want to squash it by letting her think her damn pet was killed by me." He gave a little chuckle. "Anyways, I won't be back for a few hours. You kids just take it easy while I'm away. You've done more than enough today, finding this all out - finding Cinder and her group out. And if they _have_ really abandoned Salem's cause...then maybe, just maybe, we might have gained ourselves a whole new pack of allies - or at the least, a wealth of information on Salem's movements. All because of you, Ruby."


	8. A Soul Exposed

Was it just to be expected, Cinder thought, that even after freeing herself of her stepmother and of Salem, her life was going to continue to be one of being constantly hurt, degraded and humiliated?

In aftermath of relief and terror, familiar, murderous rage roared to life in her soul. Of the kind that had consumed her for the past three years now - of course it wouldn't go away so easily, would it?

But this rage was not for Ruby Rose, but for Yang Xiao Long; it really was remarkable, the resemblance between mother and daughter.

Cinder walked the streets of Mantle back home with a burning in her throat. With her hands made into fists at her sides, quivering.

Why had she had to suffer something like that _again_? Even after freedom, even after power that should have ensured she would never have to again? Truly, this time, now out of Salem's grasp!

Why had she had to suffer that way, even after, further, lowering herself to the lowest point she could for the sake of her baby sister? And _still_ that hadn't been seen as far enough by this world?! By _that girl_? Those people? Cinder had had to plant her face in the dirt for them to be satisfied? She'd hated herself for being so pathetic, for reducing herself to _begging_ those people - begging Ruby Rose - even as she knew it had been the only viable course of action to get Maggy back without harm or incident. She'd done it, hadn't been pleased about it, but she had! And it hadn't been _enough for them!_ She'd apologized, groveled, she'd done _everything she could_...and they'd wanted more out of her still! She could have used her powers, she could have killed them all, slaughtered them, destroyed them like she had so many swathes of others over the last three years! But she hadn't! She hadn't even attacked any of them! In fact she had put herself at their feet willingly, and they'd done that to her anyways!

But, Cinder soothed herself, the same reason she hadn't tried to just kill them all was the same reason she couldn't do so now - later. It would have been a signal flare to Salem, it would have caused Mantle and Atlas military forces to know exactly who and where she was, and it would have caused her to have to give up everything and flee. Force Flora and Maggy to give up this safety, this peace, this _life_!

And that, Cinder couldn't have ever done. She wouldn't do it.

Even if it meant passing up on killing Ruby Rose, even if it meant allowing those hated enemies as a whole to exist in the same space as her now. Even if it meant letting the daughter of Raven Branwen live after lording power over her, abusing her like that - acting exactly like her stepmother had to her before.

Above all, above even herself, above even her own dignity and feelings...her promise for Maggy, and her feelings for Flora, mattered more.

It was as much practical as anything, she told herself. They had struck a truce of sorts, to be seen if it would be upheld at all by the other side. But if it could be...

That would be even more people around to shield Flora and Maggy - if the bastards didn't try to steal her away again, that was!

Did Cinder's begging, did her _promise_ , did putting her sister's entire being above dignity and vengeance mean _nothing to those people?_ They'd tried to take her, so brazen, out in the open, and they...

True, Ruby Rose had given her back, had relented, by some miracle of the world - but what if she hadn't?

What if they tried again?

And Cinder hated, possibly more than anything else, that she now had a new promise to keep: a promise to fight alongside them against Salem, against the grimm, against the others who would come here to take the Relic, to cripple this entire kingdom! And to even, possibly, take the Winter Maiden's powers (Salem would either find a new female servant to obtain it, or use Emerald). Not that Cinder gave a shit about the Relic, or the Maiden, even - her mindless, heady pursuit of power the past three years was something that made her feel awful inside, thinking back on it now - she wanted to be as far apart from all of that as possible. But the kingdom...she'd fight to protect it because she was living in it. Because Maggy was here, because Flora was here. She'd even fight alongside those self righteous huntresses and huntsmen if she _had to._

But she would spend every single second of it _hating it_ \- _hating them_. All of them!

"Cinder - we're home."

Cinder startled out of her raging storm of a mind and soul, finding herself inside their hotel room.

Flora was gazing at her with narrowed eyes, with a set face.

It was jarring, and Cinder tried for several moments to even think of what could possibly have caused the woman to look at her like some dirty insect scraped off her boot...

And then it crashed right into her: Flora had heard every single word she'd said in that park - and every single word those huntresses had said too.

Flora's gaze turned to Neo and Miltia. "I want to discuss some things with Cinder; take Maggy and get out."

Neo and Miltia obeyed swiftly, sending Cinder looks of pity.

The door snapped shut.

Cinder slowly lowered herself onto the bed.

"I want the truth. About everything. Now."

Cinder sat on the bed, head bowed, hands together in her lap. She payed no heed to Zeke perched in the open window sill, bathed in sunlight, who had just come fluttering in out of nowhere; as relieved as she was to see him alive again - overjoyed - those feelings were so far down in her soul right now as to be nonexistent.

Flora stood over her, fists clenched at her sides. Her eyes hard and narrowed.

Cinder couldn't delay, couldn't deny, not now, not with her. It was like being in front of her mothers again - there was just pure shame, and self-loathing filling her soul up to overflow. A great, acute _awareness_. Of herself, of the world around her. So she took a breath, and she told Flora the truth - her life the past three years, from nineteen to twenty-two. Every last detail. Up to the day they'd met, at base of a mountain on a rainy evening in Mistral.

"I took you in..." Flora began, in a hushed tone. "not hours after you had just murdered a teenage girl..."

Cinder just nodded. "Yes."

Flora looked at her for a long moment. Something in her eyes changed. "When I first came across you, and you looked up at me with those- Maiden magic powers of yours turned on...you were going to kill me, too. Weren't you? Right there, right on the spot, just because I was there and I was a witness, and you...you would have just _done it_ and walked away."

Again, there was to be no hiding, no denying, no deluding. Just... "Yes."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because when I looked at you, I didn't see _you_ \- I saw _me_. I don't know why, but I did, and after that..."

"It was more convenient to take advantage of me than it was to kill me anymore." Pure accusation. Spitting and burning through Cinder like acid.

"Yes...I- guess that's what I did..."

"And you did that _so_ _well_. You told me your horrible life story _first_ , and you left out all the _murder_ , the _terrorism_ , everything else that could have ever caused me to run screaming from you." Flora's voice was a cold, furious whisper. "What did you think you were going to do here? Keep lying to me, keep using me? Keep hiding everything from me? Until, what, I was in too deep to back out? Your words already, I recall."

"I never lied to you! I just- hid things from you...Okay, so, I guess so, yes. I was...hoping to not have to tell you everything. I was being careful not to let you hear...anything too terrible. Because I like you, I care about you, and I wanted to keep you around. Even more so now, since my mother was killed. Since you've been so..."

"So kind to you," Flora spat. Her face was _ugly_. "I'd never have been so _kind_ if I'd known from the start what you were!"

"I know. I knew that. That's why I...chose to keep it all from you for...as long as I could."

"Did you think _I'd_ care about you too much by this point to leave? Is that how you saw this going? That, what, because we shared stories, some cuddles and a few kisses, that that meant I'd _choose_ to stay with a fucking murdering terrorist?" A laugh. A terrible, awful laugh. "How much self-respect do you think I _don't have_ for myself?!"

"I- I don't know about that part," Cinder admitted. "I just know I didn't _want you_ to leave me."

"Well, too bad: I'm leaving - and I'm taking Maggy."

"No!"

Flora stood quivering as Cinder rose to her feet before her. But she remained...standing. She looked her in the eyes, lips twisting into a smile that was in no way pretty. "What, are you going to finally kill me now? Just kill me in some shitty hotel room and dump the body? Or are you planning on burning me to a crisp and scattering my ashes?"

"N-no!" Cinder gasped, horrified. "I'd never do that to you! Not- not _now_. But I can't- let you take her. You know that, you have to know that. I can't let...not even you. Used you or not, manipulated you or not, the situation as it stands is exactly as it always was. And I'm going to do anything I have to in order to keep Maggy safe from Salem. Which means not letting you run off with her. Sorry."

"You've _murdered children!_ "

"Yes, I have. And I'm sorry - I regret ever doing any of it! You heard me back there in the park, none of that- none of that was a lie! I know now how- how wrong it all was, I know how screwed up I was, I know I was doing the most horrible things in service to the most horribly evil creature, I know the full- weight and gravity of my crimes- I _know_ how much I- _why do you think I betrayed Salem, abandoned her so completely that she killed my mother right in front of me! That...is how much I_ know _that I was-_ "

"Stop! We're way past _sorry;_ _y_ _ou're_ way past sorry! I don't care what you say, or how you _feel_ over it all after you've already done it! I don't _care_ what you want - I'm taking Maggy with me."

"No, you're not! And I'm not even sure I want to let you leave me on your own, either. The situation is what it is, like I said before: Salem _will_ find you, and kill you, and torture you, because she knows you're with me right now. It won't matter that you found out about me, that I kept things from you, that you hate me now, it doesn't matter to her! All that matters is that she _knows_ , and she'll come for you now. Your best chance of living...is still...right here with me. Like it or not."

Flora's unpretty smile grew wider. She leaned in, breath hot in Cinder's face. "You think you can pull that card on me, really? You're still trying to manipulate me into staying with you - well, it won't work. I'm leaving, and you won't stop me."

"Fine. Leave!" Cinder growled, frustrated and floundering. "But not with Maggy."

Flora stood a long moment. Silent. Then- "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes, fine," Flora snarled. "Keep your sister. Keep her safe from Salem. But _I_ am fine with taking my chances elsewhere - maybe with those actual Huntresses from the park! So _I_ am walking out of here right now. Do not. Stop me. I'd rather kill myself than let you keep controlling me, and using me."

"I understand...I- I won't stop you."

"Fucking better not. If you touch me, gods forbid you try to _grab me_ , I'm going to scream, and scream to this whole block just who you are, and just _where you are_. And then Salem and your former _co-workers_ can all come right to you!" With that being said, Flora turned away, and marched from the room.

The door was slammed on the way out, hard enough to shake the room.

Cinder sat down on the bed, crying silently.

Several minutes passed, and Neo came striding in with Miltia.

Cinder's eye registered them. And then registered what _wasn't_ there with them.

"Did you give Maggy to Flora?!"

"She asked Neo to - said she wanted to take her for a walk," Miltia explained.

Cinder whirled toward the window immediately. _"Zeke, I need you to help me-"_

But the sill was empty; Zeke was nowhere in sight.

Cinder shoved past Neo and Miltia, racing out the door with utter abandon.

* * *

Flora clutched her sides as she emerged from yet another alley, onto open street.

She leaned against the wall, heaving. Listening to the sounds of cars and passersby in late morning routine.

Even with superhuman abilities, she still had limits. Running flat out for a dozen blocks straight was one of them.

Flora caught her breath and pushed off, immediately ducking into the shop she'd stopped in front of.

It was a little general store.

Flora went to the counter, gripping Maggy's carrier tight. "Where are your bathrooms, please?"

The man behind the counter pointed.

"Thank you."

Flora walked quickly between the aisles, toward the very back. She pushed open the door, slammed it shut and, by grace of gods, found a lock to twist soundly behind herself.

She backed away and fell onto the toilet seat, setting Maggy's carrier down at her feet.

And she trembled, and she cried.

Gods, this was all a huge mistake! Why had she ever taken that woman in, why hadn't she ever questioned- when she'd found out more and more, piece by piece - Neo, mentions of grimm invasions and vague jobs, knowledge of crime organizations, the revelation of a humanoid grimm monstrosity trying to kill Cinder, _trying to kill her for leaving her_...why hadn't Flora ever really stopped to think what that all implied, what it had to mean?! About Cinder, about all of them! Why in the world had she excused that woman in her own mind, time and again?

_Oh, surely she was terrified, forced into it! Surely she hadn't done that bad of things - she had to have held herself back, lied to that monster, maybe helped sneak someone away, let someone go! She maybe had killed, at minimum, one or two people, but then surely in self defense, or out of necessity? A Ruby Rose who had taken her eye, her arm - it was no wonder Cinder had the fiery disposition she always did! To live like that!_

But Ruby Rose was a child, but Cinder had willingly and gleefully murdered several teenagers, had willingly and gleefully set a grimm invasion on a city - twice over! Had led an assault on two different schools _full of children_! Had murdered a helpless young woman in a pod, already injured from a previous attack, from scarring, from... _just for her powers! Her Magic!_

Flora _couldn't_ excuse anymore - not a thing more! Not even that display of remorse and pathetic begging earlier today was an excuse! Not now, not _after_! All of her _victims_ surely would've loved it if Cinder could have come to her senses _before she had murdered them!_

But Beacon had been _months ago_ \- and Haven, weeks ago now! Where was all of this then?!

Many minutes passed Flora by, alone and exhausting herself of emotion - and berating herself even further for her own stupidity - until a knock came at the door.

The voice to come through wasn't the voice of the man from the counter.

"Hey, Ms. Flora in there, the name's Qrow Branwen, professional huntsman - I'm here to get you and that baby of yours someplace safe. Could you come out for me, please?"

Flora was frozen. Was it a ruse, bait, someone put up to it by Cinder? Why, how, would some random huntsman just come in here like this and _know_ Flora was in some kind of trouble? Well, she _had_ been running around in a panic with a baby. That was a sight to worry just about anyone. And if a random huntsman had seen her, been concerned...That was logical. Reasonable.

She still didn't move.

More knocking. An exasperated sigh. "Listen, I don't want to come off as a disgusting creep and open the door, so if you could please come on out already?"

Slowly, Flora stood. She picked up Maggy, and went to open the door.

A dark haired man stood before her, looking relieved. He looked familiar to her somehow. Then it came to her, in all the fog of emotion: he'd been one of those huntsmen in the park earlier, the ones trying to take - rescue - Maggy.

"Do you have an ID?" Flora asked immediately, all the same. Paranoia racing in her mind, mixing with the fear.

The man, Qrow, reached into a pocket and pulled out his scroll. He showed it off to her.

It looked legitimate enough. But then, she recalled how Cinder had gotten fake passports for them all before...

"Listen," Qrow began, leaning in. "I know just who you're running from. I was scoping your place out - I saw you run. More specifically, I was doing surveillance on Cinder Fall. I know you just learned the truth about her. It's because _I_ knew already who she was that I'm going to do my best to make sure she doesn't come anywhere near you now. If you can agree to come with me. I'll take you to Atlas, right to the Huntsman Academy. The best protective custody you could ever find yourself in."

Flora was just so...so exhausted. She was done with all of this...and done with herself.

"Alright...thank you..."

"Just doing my job, Ms. Now let's get going, please. Cinder's probably looking for you right now."

Flora looked down at Maggy. _No, she's not looking for me._ Guilt rose in her - but she stomped it to bits immediately. No baby deserved to be raised by a murdering terrorist, relative or not, and...and these actual, professional Huntsmen could _surely_ do far better for Maggy (and Flora, too) than Cinder's brand of protection ever could!

* * *

Cinder had spent hours looking for them - the whole day - before conceding defeat.

Giving in to her feelings of grief, of hurt - of everything.

But most of all, just...plain old exhaustion.

Physical, and emotional.

Today had been so stressful, so full of twists and turns and curve balls, that she just didn't have it in her to keep it up anymore.

Not today.

She'd rest, she'd think, and wake up tomorrow focused and refreshed.

And she'd search again. And again. And again, on until she finally found them.

Although, she had an obvious idea about where to find them: Flora herself had said it, after all.

But that just meant that ultimately Cinder had failed. Failed...yet again. Failed to keep Maggy safe with her, failed to keep her with her _period_ , for her promise. She'd ended up with those people anyways, in the end. In the end...

Cinder had failed again.

Was that ever going to end, too?

Or was that just going to be her defining trait of existence? Cinder the Failure.

If Cinder wanted to get Maggy back - and she _did_ , with all her soul - then she'd need to either go to Atlas herself to retrieve her (which she was reluctant to do; reluctant to break the truce just made earlier today, reluctant to bring huntsmen and Altas military forces down on her head, and even, though she'd never have admitted it, reluctant to kill anyone nowadays), or...or she could do it another way.

She could just talk to them - as much as she'd hate talking to them - and _ask them_ about Maggy. About Flora. About getting the former back from them. She'd do anything, she'd say anything. She'd even humiliate herself to hell and back again, if they still weren't satisfied...

Cinder collapsed onto her bed, face-first, burying her head in her pillows.

She was just so goddamn tired.

Soul deep.

She needed...she wanted...she...

Cinder rolled over and grabbed her scroll off the nightstand; she called Lisari's scroll (Hazel had brought it to her a few days back, but they'd only talked once, briefly; Lisari was still in terrible condition - no condition for long scroll calls). But hopefully...she'd be in a bit better of a condition _now_ for one. It wouldn't be too long, she told herself, to assuage the guilt already rising.

It was only a moment before the video call connected.

Lisari's face filled the screen.

"Cin. This is really out of the blue..."

"I- I'm sorry, I know, I- I just need to talk."

Lisari looked at her weakly, but she smiled the way Cinder loved. "You do look like you need to. You look awful."

"Thanks. I just- I had to- I can't- I'm sorry. You probably want nothing to do with me, don't you?" Cinder voiced flatly.

"No, no. I'll hear whatever it is you have to say. I always have. So just talk whenever you're ready."

"I need- help. Advice." Cinder broke down, telling her everything that had happened today. With Flora, with Maggy. With those huntsmen, Ozpin's star team. Shame and self-loathing prominent in her. "What should I do now? She'll never want to see my face again - and maybe she's right about that. For Salem, for power, the things I've done...I...I am sorry, I know they were wrong, I know they were horrendous! I know that, I realize that, I do! But I still just...I don't know where to go from here. I'm still in the same situation, nothing's changed in general. I'm still hunted, I'm still scared, I'm still just- but what do I do now? Without her? And Maggy-"

"Leave her be," Lisari said, firm. "Leave her and Maggy be - they have _my_ blessing, as her mother. That's a very strong, brave, and smart woman to leave you how she did. Rightful and true, and you deserved that. All of that. And where they are now, at least they'll have an army of huntsmen around them. That's better than you could do on your own for them."

Cinder nodded, throat tight. As much as it pained her to admit those huntsmen could do any kind of good...self righteous enemies of hers...she knew things had changed now. And she knew, at least, they'd do that much. She could trust them to do that much. As for the other part of what Lisari had said to her... "I know, yes. I did deserve all of it. And probably...more, don't I?"

"Probably a lot more," Lisari said evenly.

"But what do I...do? Please."

"You leave her alone, you leave Maggy in her wonderful, good hands - and you move forward without her." Lisari gazed at her. "You be _good_ , you be _kind_ , you be _remorseful_ , in everything you do, in every single day of your life, and, with every ounce of these powers of yours, and these skills you've learned...you put every bit of your _soul_ into helping people around you, into saving them. And into opposing this Salem in _everything she does_. And you- you do that the rest of your life, and maybe, just maybe...after you die, and your soul goes on to khi'hali...maybe you'll end up in the same place as Jenna. But you don't do it for _that_ , you don't do it for _her_ \- or even for me, Cin - you do it for the people _still here_. The ones _left behind_ by everything you've ever done. For your victims, direct and indirect. You do it, and you do it _damn selflessly_ , and for no other reason, and because it's _right_. And maybe..."

"Maybe...?"

"Maybe that will make up for it," Lisari answered, quiet and simple. "But even if it never does, even if it's not enough, you do it anyways. Because that is what you should be doing, and it is the least you can ever do in this world now."

"Do you hate me too? Are you scared of me, too?"

Lisari didn't hesitate to speak. "I'm disgusted with you, Cin. I'm horrified by you. And I'm...extremely disappointed to see what kind of woman that girl I took in became. But, most of all...I'm just angry for all of your victims. But I don't personally hate you for it, and I'm not scared of you for it either. I can tell just how much you really are remorseful, and maybe- maybe some ancient grimm queen is a mitigating factor. Maybe, at first, you were terrified of her, and you kept being terrified, even as you did what she wished. We're seeing that now, aren't we? That leaving her has terrible consequences. So maybe you knew, inside, that this would happen before now. I don't know, I can't say. It's not for me to say, really, at all." She sighed. "I just want you to make the right choices _now_. You can't resurrect the dead, so that is _all you can do now_. And that's all I can expect out of you now, realistically - because with those powers, that skill of yours, there's no way to just lock you up somewhere, is there? Better to have you doing good, every day, than wasting time trying to contain you. And I'm not the one who could say whether you should be sentenced to death, either, so that's not really in my mind right now," she concluded quietly.

"Okay..."

A long silence fell between them - which Cinder felt the irresistible urge to break again.

"Can I call you again, tomorrow? Or, in another couple of days?" Cinder asked, blurting.

"I think it would be best for both of us if you didn't - not for a while." Lisari responded, calm and quiet. Her expression was soft, like memory again. "But that doesn't mean I won't be here for you. Do you understand? I don't hate you - I still _love you_ , Cin. I love you just as much as I did when you were eight, and J-Jenna and I came across you in that street. But love or hate doesn't factor into this. All that matters is what you _do_ , not how you or even how _I_ feel about it."

"Y-yes, I understand...I l-love you, too. And I'm- thankful, for everything, for- and I'm sorry I...I did such awful things, and I failed you, and I failed Jenna, and I-"

"I know. I know. Remorse is good, but don't get lost in it. Focus on turning it into fuel for doing what's right. Take that feeling, and _show it_ to the world around you. Don't just talk."

"Okay. I will."

"Good. Now, goodbye."

"But what do I _do_?" Cinder said, hopeless, quick. Clinging.

"Wherever you feel you can do the most good - however you think you can."

Cinder considered it. For a long time, really and truly. She wasn't really accustomed to thinking about others - let alone thinking about _helping them_. She'd always, since childhood, been focused on herself. Her survival, her feelings, her thoughts. Her own life. She could count on one hand the number of people she'd ever given conscious thought to wanting to help - in any way. "I-" she finally began to say.

"Don't say it," Lisari cut across her. "Just go do it. I'll still be here."

"Right. Goodbye." Cinder ended the call and let her scroll drop to the bedsheets. Her eyes settled onto Neo and Miltia - both of whom were busy trying to look _busy_ , and not like they had just heard everything on that call so personal and intimate. "If you two are going to keep staying with me, I'd- _like_ for your help moving forward."

"Help with what?" Miltia groaned.

"Mantle," Cinder replied. "We've all seen it: Mantle is suffering - and we can't leave it out in the cold. We're going to get out there when we can, and help beat back the grimm attacks. That's all I'll ask of you two; we can call it fair recompense for staying here like we are. And, for me alone...I'm going to start doing more than that - join me if you want, or don't. But I'm sure the two of you have stains on your souls just as bad as mine...and you should be trying to cleanse them."

Neo squirmed; Miltia just snorted and turned away.

Cinder's thoughts turned to Mantle. If Cinder wasn't mistaken, the perimeter walls were full of holes, and those needed to be filled.

And who better to fix them than a woman with ancient magical powers?

It was something she'd never thought of before - never would have: using Maiden magic to fix, to repair, to...heal.

But she thought it might just work.

At very least, she had to _try_.

Every single day, until the day she died, she had to try.

Try to be better.

To be _good_.

To make up for every last death and injury she'd ever caused over the last three years.

And hope it was enough, by the time the day came for her soul to pass on.


	9. An Uproarious Election Night

Flora brushed her hair from her eyes and looked to the black-haired young huntress - faunus - Blake Belladonna.

"Are you ready to go?" Belladonna spoke, quiet and kind.

Flora nodded. Smiled her best. "Yes, thank you. It's been a week in this place; I really appreciate getting the chance to stretch my legs - even if it's to go to an election victory party."

"It's no trouble, Ms. Castella," Belladonna assured. "I'm happy to accompany you - it _is_ the job."

Flora picked up Maggy's carrier, flashed another smile. "Is baby care a part of your job training, by any chance, Ms. Belladonna?"

Belladonna laughed. Shook her head. "I'm afraid not, no. I won't be much help if there's a problem in that regard."

"That's alright. I can take care of this on my own pretty handily."

"I'm sure. You look like a natural to me."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Ms. Castella."

"Please, just call me Flora!"

"If you'd call me Blake - Ms. Belladonna makes me sound like my mother. And I'm not that old yet! Not nearly."

"Blake, then, alright."

* * *

Cinder pulled her flowing black cloak around herself, pulled the hood up, and placed the ornate white mask over her face.

She leaped from the rooftop, landing on the next across the street. She moved through Mantle in cool evening air and darkening sky, toward her destination; she jumped down into an alley a few blocks from the edge of the city.

She navigated the dark narrows easily, silently, until she'd reached the wall.

She strode along it, single eye scanning it for any weaknesses.

Ahead she spotted a lookout tower.

They wouldn't be a problem - hadn't been, this past week now. They were focused on looking outward, not inward.

Cinder soon came upon an indent in the metal. Shearing. Several small gashes. Sabyrs doing their work on it, plenty of them, over plenty of time.

She focused, reaching out to place a palm to the wall; white light flared from her hand, and the broken metal repaired itself, the gaps filled in with hard crystal and stone, the thin spots reinforced.

It wasn't perfect - she wasn't perfect at this, not by a long shot - but it was enough to shore up the defenses. It was enough to let things...hold.

Nodding to herself behind her mask, she continued on along the wall, looking for more spots like this one.

She was nearing the biggest problem: the great big _gap_ in the wall.

Cinder had been reluctant to try to fix that one, to even approach it; she'd risk discovery, risk some kind of encounter with the military guards. She didn't want to get into a fight, and she didn't want to have to hurt anyone. But, she decided she couldn't put it off any longer - Mantle didn't deserve to have such an exposed flaw in its defenses just sitting there like it was. So, guards or not, potential problems or not, Cinder was going to fix that tonight. For them. Because it was...good, and right to do. Because it was what Cinder _could_ do, with what power and skills she had to her.

Tonight, there was an election party going on, for the foregone conclusion of a victory for Mantle's councilwoman, Robyn Hill; Cinder hoped that would at least have reduced perimeter security a bit, redirected to potential crowd control deeper into the city.

If not...

Cinder would just have to deal with it in the most delicate way she could manage.

She slinked along the wall, cloaked in shadow, the voices of idle chatting guards on comm units growing clearer and louder.

She was there; there was that giant, gaping section of wall missing.

Cinder glanced up along the wall - four guards, two on each side.

_Okay, then..._

Cinder crouched down right next to the wall's gap, set her hand on it, and she focused.

Light flared from hand, and her power began to work.

Thick stone burgeoned, filling in the gap, from bottom to top, like rising water.

"W-woah! Hey, Daz, do you see that?!"

"What the hell's going on with the wall?"

"Somebody's got to be nearby - using a Semblance."

"Well...do we stop them?"

"Protocol says to keep non-authorized personnel fifteen feet from this containment zone at all times. And I'm sure somebody has to be within fifteen feet to be doing this!"

"So...?"

"So fan out, get down there - we'll find whoever's breached the zone. Send them on their way."

"We're really stopping this?"

Cinder gritted her teeth and began to cover her fully formed stone wall now with hard, blue crystal.

A sigh from above her - directly above, on the wall. "Look, I'm sure it's just somebody thinking they're helping out - but we don't know if any of _this_ crap is stable, or how long it'll even last, or anything else! This is why we can't have just anyone coming in to do as they please! It might ruin the structural integrity of the wall around it! So just get searching, would you?!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay...but I'm not going to try too hard..."

"What was that, soldier?!"

"I just- you know- they're doing more than old Ironwood is for us. He doesn't care to send in a truck of supplies to patch this up, does he? Hasn't for weeks now..."

"Just - start your search! And I don't want to hear any more talk like that if you know what's good for you."

Another sigh. "Yes, sir..."

Clattering of metal, armored, armed figures coming down from ladders on either side of Cinder.

She concentrated on solidifying the crystal layers, on both sides of the wall. It finished just as boots hit the ground.

A figure turned her way, and then froze. The soldier squinted, leaned forward, half reaching for dust rifle. "Hey! You there - you know there's not supposed to be civilians coming this close to the walls, don't you? For your safety as much as ours. So I'm going to have to ask you to vacate the area - step away - or we'll have some problems."

Cinder rose to her feet, arms disappearing into her cloak. Crunching boots; she turned to see two more soldiers come down from the ladder behind her. These two actually had weapons at ready, held in hand.

"Whoever you are: take off the mask and get down on your-"

 _On my knees? Yeah, screw that._ Cinder leaped several stories high, straight up, and came down on the rooftop of nearest building. She leaped on to the next, and the next, with shouting and yelling soldiers left in her wake.

Mission accomplished - and not a single person had had to even get hurt.

She smirked to herself with satisfaction.

* * *

Blake Belladonna entered the auditorium with a heavy heart, but a demeanor she tried to portray as "professional." The Huntress she was meant to be.

She shared a small look with Yang - Yang, who didn't seem upset with her for not being able to go out dancing with Team FNKY. For being dragged into an escort mission with her to this election party.

At least, Blake thought, they were with their teammates. Well, Weiss had gone with Oscar and Jaune to the movies. But at least Ruby was here, too.

And it was a party; Blake thought that maybe they could have this chance to relax and enjoy themselves, all the same.

On the other hand...she was on a mission, an official assignment - and that assignment didn't include relaxing or enjoying yourself. It meant being alert, aware, attentive to your charge. To her charge.

Particularly these charges: civilians on the run from Salem, wrapped up in all of this horror just for happening to come across Cinder Fall (or, Rynon, apparently, Qrow had briefed them all, after a long series of discussions alone with a very shaken and lost Flora Castella earlier this week).

Blake felt such an awful heartache for them - and, privately, she wondered now just how many people's lives she had changed this way during her time in the White Fang. Though she had always done her best not to hurt anyone, and had done her best to reign in Adam, there were still...there had been many times over when she recalled...How many families, how many civilians were out there that she had possibly...?

And if she ever ran into any of them again, would she recognize them? Would she even be able to look them in the eyes? Could she manage to apologize to them, for all of it, just as deeply as one Cinder Rynon apparently had been capable of doing?

That was why she had become a Huntress, in the abstract sense - to save lives, to do good, make up for her past. But that had only been abstract, generalized.

She hadn't ever before imagined the real, the personal...the individual people and families she might have affected, left in her wake.

People just like Flora, and baby Maggy.

People going about their lives, their jobs, until one day a black haired White Fang girl had come leaping in to change it all - and not for the better.

Blake had never thought about it before - until Cinder had entered Team RWBY's life again, and caused Blake's mind to be thrown into turmoil. It was a distressing thought to realize that she had so much in common with that woman.

Blake sighed to herself. But it wasn't any good to get caught in thoughts like that - not now, not here. She had a job to do, a duty to the people right in front of her.

She could worry about those not in front of her...later.

Cheering and excited voices erupted in the hall.

Blake refocused on the stage from the far back of the crowd - eyed the display.

The polls were closing; it was a close match, for both Robyn Hill and Jacques Schnee - they were neck and neck in the votes.

The crowd was counting down.

Excitement and tension alike were mounting.

People's lives would change because of this, no matter the outcome of who won.

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One!"

And the lights shut off completely - even the display had gone black.

Complete and utter darkness.

And silence.

A moment, a beat, eerie and squirming in Blake's stomach as her faunus night vision immediately adjusted to it all.

And she saw the movement so clearly among the crowd of densely packed innocents. Families, mothers and fathers and children.

A man she had heard of and seen pictures of before now, but never actually met in person: Tyrian - a fanatical agent of Salem's!

He was spinning and twirling, a delighted grin stretching across his face, as he began cutting down everyone around him with wrist-blades and sharp cybernetic tail!

Blake pulled her blade out and started forward- then she froze. Turned to Flora, standing in the dark looking terrified and _lost_. "Come on!" Blake grabbed her arm and raced for the exit, shoving the door open and pushing the woman non too gently into open air and street light. "Stay out here!" she told her. Then, Blake squared her shoulders and went right back inside again.

She leaped high above the fleeing, frantic crowd, tossing out her ribbon to swing off a stage light and send herself flying right for Tyrian. She swung her blade and slashed across his chest, lighting up his Aura and causing it to crackle.

He staggered back, off kilter, his eyes menacing as they found hers. "You stupid little _bitch_ , you're ruining everything!" he hissed, and he swung for her with those blades furiously.

Blake took out her second sword and was put on the defense, using shadow clones to evade deadly strikes from the third element - that stinging tail. She saw him turn and give a frustrated slice of his blades to a man with a little girl in his arms desperately trying to get away in the darkness; the man fell, and the child screamed.

Blake lunged, shadow cloned, and tackled Tyrian bodily! She took him back and slammed him through the wall with an Aura blast, mighty but significantly draining for her.

They were rolling and slashing in an alleyway now, Blake was snarling and hissing, screaming as she landed a punch on the man's face, as she got her blade behind his guard and shoved it to his throat and yanked it across, his aura sparking and flickering! She didn't see Tyrian anymore, not really - she saw _Adam_.

His hands were coated in a purple energy, and then he was slashing her across the chest and driving that stinger into it, right between her breasts. She cried out and seized, hands going to the tail stuck in her still. Tyrian flung his tail up, lifting her bodily and propelling her up into the air wildly, like he was flicking off a bug.

Blake came down on her hands and feet - just in time for a flying knee to catch her in the face. She flew back and hit hard against a dumpster. Tyrian was on her, slashing and stabbing at her, every inch of her, her Aura shearing and breaking, and that burning pain in her chest was mounting, becoming a burning, spreading through her body! Poison, his poison, she realized. Recognized. Already she felt herself getting weaker, sluggish, the world was dimming and echoing- and Tyrian wasn't letting up on her...

There was a flash of scarlet, a flutter of rose petals, and Tyrian was launched down the alley with a cry of surprise and pain alike.

Blake fell to her hands and knees, clutching her chest with a trembling palm.

"Well, if it isn't the little rose! You'll make quite the prize to take away to the queen, even after tonight's utter failure thanks to your faunus friend there!"

"Don't bet on it!" Yang's voice, furious. A flash of yellow, light and fire, and long hair flaming down the alley...

Tyrian leaped away, over Yang, and then he gave a snarl and jumped clear up out of the alleyway.

"Go after him," Yang told Ruby instantly. Her red eyes changed back to normal as her gaze fell on Blake. Ruby gave her sister a nod, and flew up into the air in a burst of rose petals. Yang was by Blake's side in a flash, reaching for her, pulling her into her arms. "Blake, you're going to be all right - Qrow's dealt with this before, and we have Atlas medical here this time! We can fix this, you'll be fine. Just hang in there for me..."

Blake tried to nod, to speak an affirmative - but all that came out was a little grunting noise, and her head fell into Yang's lap.

Her eyes closed, and the world faded away.

* * *

As Cinder brought herself simple pleasures in traversing the rooftops in secret and shroud, distant red lights and flaring sirens caught her eye and ears.

She paused right on a ledge, foot already up on a lip and ready for a next jump.

Her head turned at a shrill sound - and there, descending from the sky, were several Manticores and a greater Sphinx.

More and more joined them, emerging out of the dark clouds in short order, descending on the city.

Alarms everywhere now, more and more red lights popping up in Cinder's field of view.

Cinder tilted her head, lifted an arm, and activated her Maiden powers; she sent out a blast of flames, which split into multiple, and scorched several of the manticores.

A flash of blue from her palm, and the sphinx's wings froze over, and it plummeted, shrieking.

 _Thank god I fixed that wall tonight_ , she thought with relief. This wouldn't be too bad, with only the flying ones to worry about - maybe the occasional Sabyr or Ursai from another entry point, a smaller one.

Cinder raced across the rooftops with purpose and urgency now, toward those red lights.

If there was someone to be helped, to be saved, she'd be there to do it. She had to be.

Screaming sharpened into clarity the closer she got to those lights.

She swept her gaze across the streets below, found a half dozen people holed up inside a shop, with an Ursa advancing, and four Sabyrs snarling and snapping - pacing, and waiting.

Cinder created a spear and hurled it for the Ursa; it fell, but it wasn't dead.

It lifted itself up and threw its great body at the shop display window, shattering it.

The Sabyrs immediately moved in, darting forward with grace and speed no normal human could match.

Cinder burst fire from her feet and lunged down from the roof, across the street to land right behind the Sabyrs. She summoned twin swords and began to slice and slash, catching their attention and holding it now. She kicked one into the air, backflipped and dragged her blade along its underbelly, killing it. She twirled to evade two that leaped at her with snarling; a blade was held out to catch one in the ribs, impaling it as it flew by. Two dead, two left now. And the Ursa was now turning its attention to her, too.

Cinder leaped high and flipped back, tossing a sword down at a Sabyr making another lunge. Her blade seemed to be about to strike home - until the Sabyr narrowed its eyes and leapt aside. The blade embedded into the street with the force of the throw.

Cinder ignited flames under her feet to hover, and summoned a new blade - she hurled both simultaneously, aimed at two separate targets; the keener Sabyr dodged her again, while the other caught a blade through the top of its skull, pinning it to the ground dead.

She stretched out her arms, aiming empty palms, and erupted ice around the crafty Sabyr, ensnaring its legs. She threw a spear down, and she didn't miss this time.

All that was left was the Ursa.

Powerful, strong, and faster than they looked, sometimes.

People really did underestimate the larger grimm, assuming they'd always be slow - easy to escape, to avoid. Many people had been proven wrong on that.

Cinder played it safe, deciding to blast it full on in the face with a stream of Maiden fires.

It was incinerated after several moments intense flames.

Cinder let a breath go, and set down on the street again.

A man in the shop came forward, staring at her with undisguised gratitude and relief - and _awe_. "My god, thank you - thank you! Please, tell me your name!"

Cinder cocked her head; she put hand on hip, gave a single wave, and blasted off into the night sky again.

She had a long night ahead of her, with no time to stop and chat with every single little person she saved the life of. Not that she'd even want to do that; she'd never been a people person, and she wasn't exactly enjoying this - she was just _doing it_. So she'd do it, and that was that.

She didn't need anyone's gratitude - or want it. What did she really _care_ for faceless strangers and their opinions about her? She never had, and she wasn't about to start now. Why waste so much time and effort on every single person? No, she wasn't doing this for any thanks or praise. Except, maybe, if it was Flora's, or her mother's...but the former was really out of the question now.

Cinder put thoughts of Flora out of her mind, and focused on searching for the next area lit by red glowing light.


	10. The Day It Begins

Cinder had just woken when she heard a fluttering.

Drowsy, she continued laying on her side, back to the window.

A shifting, a creak.

She rolled over, immediately being blasted by morning sun rays to obscure vision.

She squinted, blinded, lifting her hand to her face.

And her eye saw a figure standing there, blocking the sun.

She threw herself out of bed and summoned a flaming glass weapon, aiming it forward.

The figure held up their hands. "Hey now, I thought we agreed we weren't going to be doing that anymore?"

Cinder's vision sharpened, and she finally identified the intruder. She kept her blade pointed, just the same.

Qrow Branwen's eyes roamed down her bared, fit figure, of furrowed, damaged skin and copious burn scars, with an undisguised appreciation - which turned to disgust when he lay eyes on her out and exposed grimm arm. He returned his gaze to her face, and he held it there. Held her eye. "Could you put that away - seriously, I'm not here to fight or anything. If I was, you think I'd have come all by myself?"

Cinder snorted, lip curling. "Like you appeared to me in the park alone?"

Qrow chuckled, surprisingly, and nodded. "Yeah...well, you got me there. But this time I really _am_ alone."

Cinder didn't move. She raised her chin at him.

Qrow sighed, took a slow step aside, away from the window. The sunlight hit Cinder in full now. "Look, you're gonna want to put some clothes on, right? Or do you get your thrills as a streaker? Wouldn't it be damn sad if the way you got found out was because somebody called in saying they saw some lady exposing herself out the window? How embarrassing would that be: Cinder Fall, tracked down by agents of Salem on charges of exhibitionism!"

Cinder growled, long and suffering. She dematerialized her weapon, stalked past Qrow with head still held high, planting a smirk on her face, and moved to retrieve some clothing.

Once dressed, she turned back to him, hand on hip. "You know, most people would have used the door."

"We're not most people, are we?"

"Point," she grumbled. She dropped her hand from hip and hopped up onto the dresser, crossing her legs there. "So - why are you here?"

Qrow leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Well now, it's an interesting thing, isn't it? Apparently, there was a disturbance out on the perimeter wall last night. Reports from Mantle's finest about a cloaked figure in a mask. Evidence of a powerful Semblance being used in a heartfelt but misguided attempt at fixing the worst broken section of the wall. Stone and crystal, and even, in some places, the metal itself having seemingly stitched itself back together. And after some further investigations, they found even more spots like this along the wall - some of them looking a bit older. It seems like this mystery figure has been doing this for a couple days now - not just last night."

Cinder raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms now in addition to legs.

"And, apparently," Qrow went on. "there were related reports, all throughout the night, after the grimm started coming into the city...of that same masked figure flying around, using an incredibly powerful Semblance to defend the people. Saved a lot of lives - dozens."

"If I'd wanted to hear the news, I would have turned on the TV," Cinder spoke, gesturing to said television holo-display. "You really didn't need to come in through my window just to tell me this."

Qrow gave an insufferable grin. "You sure? Unless, of course, you already knew."

"I pride myself on being well informed."

"And I pride myself on not being a total moron - most of the time..." Qrow ran a hand through his hair, that grin disappearing now. Serious, solemn. And... "Let's drop the pretense - I'm not as much into playing games as you are. I just came by to say I appreciate all you did last night - and throughout this past week, working on that wall. That's dedication. That's...you stuck to your word - the word you gave to my niece to help when the time came. And all that other stuff about remorse and change, too. I appreciate it, and I think it's enough to say I can trust you now. At least to go that far again."

"Well...glad to hear it..." Cinder muttered, turning her head.

"Yeah. That's great, 'cause I'll be needing to call you up soon for some more help - a bit more personal, with us working closely together on it."

"Why?"

"Because the grimm attacks last night had a specific trigger - an intentional one - which you'd _know_ if you turned on the news," Qrow responded, flashing another grin.

Cinder glared at him. "Seeing as _your_ unexpected arrival through my window was what just woke me, how could I possibly have had time to..." she gritted out.

Qrow pulled a look of feigned surprise. "Oh, yeah. Right, right - my bad!"

"What was the cause?" Cinder snapped out, studiously ignoring the man's flare-ups of idiocy.

Qrow sagged, blew out a breath. "Tyrian Callows. He showed up at Robyn Hill's victory party last night. Slaughtered a bunch of innocent people, fought against my kids and their friends. Was driven off from it." He looked at her a long moment. Then- "Ms. Castella and your little Maggy were there, too."

Cinder shot off the dresser, feet thudding. " _What?_ Were they hurt, _did Tyrian kill_ -"

"Relax, hey! They're both fine!" Qrow exclaimed, hands coming up again. "Thanks to the swift actions of their escort, one of Ruby's friends. Blake Belladonna. She saw Tyrian right away, recognized the danger, and got them both out first thing. They're totally fine."

Cinder's entire being flooded with relief. And an unwilling pulse of gratitude for the faunus girl, Belladonna. She fell back, hand flashing out to catch the dresser, catch herself.

"They're fine - this time," Qrow spoke on. "But now that we know Salem's sent one of her _other agents_ here...we can expect things to really kick off soon, again. Can't we?"

Cinder shut her eye, turned away. "No...Vacuo was meant to be the next target, not Atlas."

Qrow's eyes glinted with interest. "Is that so?"

Cinder snorted. "Yes, it is."

"Huh...Wonder what made them decide to change targets."

"Probably me," Cinder muttered out, glaring down at her grimm arm, clenching those clawed fingers. "Two birds with one stone."

"Man, you and birds, huh?" Qrow laughed.

"Go screw yourself! This is _not_ the time to joke around!"

Qrow just lifted his eyebrows at her, his meaning clear: _Well, isn't it?_

Cinder scoffed, stalking to Neo on the floor and giving her a kick in the ribs. Neo startled awake, rolling over to gaze up at her blearily. "Get up, get dressed. We have a guest."

Neo sat up, turned to stare with a real trace of fear at Qrow.

Qrow gave a wave, cocked a grin. "Hey there. I heard you beat the shit out of both my nieces. Qrow Branwen, good to meet you. You might know my sister."

Neo hurled herself to the floor, arms coming over her head.

Cinder rolled her eyes and strode back toward Qrow. She stood right in front of him, brushing her hair aside to reveal her damaged face and eye. "If we're keeping score, your niece did this to me. All of this." She gestured down at her body, most of it now hidden under tunic and pants.

Qrow gazed at her evenly. "I saw all that, yeah - and for the sake of our truce and my needing your help with Tyrian...I'm sorry. 'K? That make you feel better now?"

"No," she snapped. She wouldn't feel any sort of better unless those words came from Ruby Rose's bratty mouth itself. And maybe not even then, honestly.

"Didn't think so. Just outta curiosity, did your backside get blasted too, or is there still a lot there to appreciate?" Qrow brought his hands together in pantomime of a camera, aimed it down her body and mimed snapping a shot. "Cause you know, I can see a damn fine outline in those pants of yours, but whether or not what's under there is actually-"

Cinder summoned a blade and brought it to his throat, shoving her face in his, snarling.

Qrow's hands shot up. "Okay, okay - you're right, that was inappropriate, I'll just shut up now..." Nonetheless, another cocky grin came to his face. The smug asshole.

Cinder bared her teeth, flaring her eyes with amber flames. She vanished her weapon and whirled away, striding for the bathroom. "You delivered your news, now get lost, idiot. Grab my scroll there, put your number in - call me when you have to. But I don't want to hear your voice or see your face again until you do have to! You got me?"

"Got it! I'll be gone in a minute here. Swear it."

"You had _better be_!" Cinder slammed the bathroom door and ran the tap water, splashing the cold waters all over her face.

* * *

Cinder spent her day searching for any signs of Tyrian, and possibly even any of the others - Watts, Mercury, Emerald...

Emerald.

Another person that Cinder supposed she hadn't ever been entirely truthful with for her own ends. Lies, hiding things, using the same grand flowery language on her as Salem had used on Cinder...And the simplest of promises.

A promise made, at the time, without a care.

_"Follow me, and you'll never go hungry again."_

All she had ever wanted was the girl's skills in thieving and lying. Sleight of hand and patience, and coordination. For the mission, for Salem.

She'd always known how the girl had looked at her, the way she'd responded to her...and she'd never cared for her back. Never cared to care!

Emerald had been talented, and tough, and clever in her own right - and she'd needed that.

Nothing more.

Anything to get that.

Just like Salem...had said what she had to to get Cinder to join her as a teenager, herself. Appealed to her in that way she knew would appeal to Cinder.

And then Cinder had given Emerald proof by talking with a grimm, commanding it in her presence.

Cinder. Never. Cared.

But now...now she knew what that was like, too, didn't she?

She still cared for Flora, she still- maybe something more. And yet Flora wanted nothing to do with her now. She was out of her life, away.

All too familiar guilt as of late rose in Cinder. She'd dragged Emerald into all of this, and then just left her there when she'd left it behind herself - never sparing a second thought to her. That she had, in fact, left her behind with Salem.

If Cinder could see Emerald again, if she could just talk to her again...she'd give her the same offer she had Neo and Miltia, and Flora. An offer of protection, of alliance, and even...maybe true friendship for once. An escape from life under Salem, that doubtless that girl was too terrified to leave on her own now. Trapped, helpless...wishing Cinder would come back for her, save her, because she cared and trusted her and it was foolish and idiotic of her and...

Cinder wished she could prove her right to feel that way now. Validate those feelings in the girl.

Be the things Emerald wanted her to be for her, like she was trying now to be the kind of woman her mother wanted her to be.

If she could just see her one last time...she could fix everything between them. Cinder was sure of it.

Fortunately, it was likely Salem would have sent Emerald and Mercury with Tyrian on this mission. They had to be here, too.

Cinder just needed for them to make a move, so she could go to them then, and make _her_ move.

Hell, she thought she might even take Mercury back on her side - they had become close enough, hadn't they, Emerald and Mercury? Almost like friends, those two.

She had spent her whole day searching, until in late evening, around 6 PM, her scroll chimed for her.

She stopped and sat on a bus stop bench, took it out and saw the name.

She tapped to accept.

"What is it?" she asked instantly.

"Hey. My teams and I have all been invited to the Schnee place for the evening - there's this big thing going on there. A celebration of Jacques Schnee's victory in the election over Robyn Hill, and a meeting with some Councilors to discuss the problems going around lately. Grimm, Tyrian...they want answers." A pause from Qrow. "But that isn't what matters to me; would you say Tyrian would be more likely to attack here, or elsewhere while we're all holed up in one place?"

"Likely the latter," Cinder replied, not even having to think about it. "If all of you are in Atlas, he'll make his move to cause chaos and death down here in Mantle - prey on the helpless, maneuver while you all are focusing on something else."

"So then, can I trust you and your group down there to keep a handle on things? Whatever he's going to do, it's going to be real soon here. We're about five minutes out."

"I'll do what I can," Cinder said flatly.

"Good. See you around - or I might not, who knows? Qrow, out."

Cinder didn't deign to reply in kind, simply ended the call and slid her scroll into her pocket.

She stood up from the bench and began making her way back home again.

She could feel it inside her soul - this was it, this was the real deal. This...was the start of the end.

Another Beacon, another Haven.

Strange, to be on the other side of it now.

The rising fears in her were enough to make her guilt flare up again out of sheer empathy; this was how everyone she'd terrorized had felt - only, surely, a thousand times worse.

As late evening fell on Mantle, Cinder continued her search all the more intensely - she _had_ to find Tyrian, she had to end this before it began, she had to!

But there wasn't any sign of him.

Except...

At first, Cinder hardly noticed.

The change in the air, the change in the sky - but then it all began to come down on her. Snowfall. A new bite to the wind.

And, she realized, a distinct lack of orange glow from the heaters on the streets, and on rooftop of buildings she loved traversing.

It was dim now, it was uninviting as could be.

Other people started to notice, too; Cinder watched a group emerge from her favorite little coffee place, cold whipping at their faces and snow falling on their bodies to cause trembles.

Cinder had, of course, by now pulled up her Aura - but none of these people had that benefit.

She sighed, extended her arm, and brought Maiden powers to bear; she ripped the great wooden sign off the entrance to the coffee shop, letting it slam down onto the street. She flicked a wrist, and a burning stream of flames ignited the sign, roaring to life in brilliant crackling.

"Oh my- how did you-" A woman was staring at her with wide eyes.

Cinder had already turned away, and launched herself into the air on Maiden flames.

She soared high and far, and took her scroll out as she hovered far above.

"We got a problem down there?" Qrow's voice came immediately.

"Not Tyrian - likely Arthur Watts' doing," Cinder spoke, strained. "The heating is offline in Mantle - all of it. The entire grid. It's already- awful, and I have Aura."

"Damn...that'd explain a lot lately..."

"What's your plan?" Cinder went on, ignoring the comment.

"We'll get down there - join you soon. Just do everything you can to-"

"I'm already doing everything I can," Cinder growled. "You don't need to tell me to-"

"Okay, okay! Jeez. Got it. We'll be there soon, then. Take care."

Cinder ended the call, breathing to release her anger.

She needed to focus now.

Another long night was ahead - worse than the one before.

And this time, she was determined to have Neo and Miltia beside her for it.

She flew home, right in through the window - subtlety was out.

"You two! Get your asses in gear, get your gear - _now_!"

Miltia was hugging herself, wrapped up in blankets.

Neo did a double take, pulling a face.

"Salem's agents are here, and if you want to live through tonight you're _going_ to do everything you can to help _other people live through tonight_!"

"I don't want to be a super hero," Miltia retorted, shaking her head.

Cinder growled. "I'm not asking you to be! I'm just asking you to be- decent. Is that really so hard?! If even _I_ can manage it...Ugh, come _on_! Either way, Tyrian or others will be coming for you, for me, for being with me! Tonight is the night, so like it or not, you _need_ your weapons and you _need_ to come with me!"

Neo hopped to her feet and snatched up her umbrella, her face set - determined now. She gave a nod, gliding over to join Cinder. She also joined Cinder in gazing very pointedly at Miltia.

" _Come on, Miltia, do you actually want to die that..._ _badly..._ " Cinder trailed off. "You're kidding me."

Miltia sagged, turning away completely.

Cinder strode forth, seizing Miltia's arm and yanking her right around. She shoved her face in hers. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?"

Miltia's eyes stared blankly - beyond Cinder, through her. "I just...want to see my sister again."

"So you just sit here and freeze yourself to death? Is that it?"

"Seems like a good way to go...nice and comfy..."

"Look, if you want to die so badly, at least do it in battle! At least do it doing something good in your life! Fight with us, fight the grimm, fight Tyrian! Make some kind of mark on the world before you go back to your sister! But don't just sit here in a shitty hotel room until you're a popsicle! I _like_ popsicles as much as the next woman, but that is _not_ the way you want to go out! It's pointless, it's senseless, it's _stupid_ , and you're an idiot for it!"

"I thought you were supposed to be trying to pep talk me..."

"Hnnnnnnngh..." Cinder let a breath go - visible in frigid air. She sat herself down and, after a hesitant moment, she did something she'd never once done in her life - but that had been done to her often in memory, to great effect. It was that effect she hoped to implement now, as she pulled Miltia into her arms roughly.

"Wha...what're you...?"

"Listen to me," Cinder hissed in the girl's ear. "Do you think your _sister_ would want you to be this idiotic about your life? Do you think she'd be _happy_ knowing you were being so stupid?! Wasting yourself, trying to die just to be with her? The best thing you could ever do for her memory...is to get up, get moving, and try to make something of yourself! Help me, help Mantle, help the world. Or at the very least, just drop this crap and _try to live_! Keep living. For her. But most of all...for yourself! Trust me, I know - my mother was killed not weeks ago, or don't you remember? Do you see me wallowing in filth and cold? No, you don't! I'm doing what I should be doing. And so should you. So hurry it up already and _get up_! Get your frozen little ass into gear already!"

"I'm just...so tired...I don't want to..."

"I know," Cinder said, pitching her voice as soft as she could. "But do it anyways."

A long moment. Then, a soul-deep sigh was expelled. "Sure, let's...let's go."

"Wait, really?" _That actually worked?_

"Yes, _really_." Miltia squirmed, shoved at her. "I can't get my weapons if I'm still trapped like this! Let go, weirdo!"

"Right..." Cinder released her and stood, arms awkwardly at her sides. "So- your gauntlets are over-"

"I know where I put my weapons."

"Right. Sorry."

Miltia moved with an agonizing slowness, off the bed, over to the dresser. She pulled on some clothes, and then her retractable claw gauntlets. She looked them over, gave a few taps of her fingernails to the sides of the blades. She nodded, muttered to herself, and then she sighed and turned toward Cinder. "Ready."

"Okay." Cinder looked at Miltia - looked at Neo, who gave a thumbs up and a wide, fake smile. "Let's get out there and try to just-"

A powerful blasting noise interrupted her, and the door to the hotel room flew open.

A slender figure stood framed in the doorway, out in the hall.

"Try to just what?" Mercury Black took a single, easy step into the room. He cocked his head, smirking. A hand came up, flourished. "Go on - I'm dying to hear the rest of that. It's all just so- so _inspirational_ , even I'm feeling a little teary-eyed here!"

Cinder stalked forth, seizing onto Miltia along the way and shoving her back behind herself. She continued on, and stood before Mercury. He folded his arms at her, smirk firmly in place. Cinder met his gaze, and in silence they stood like this. Frozen as the world around them.

"I'm sorry."

Mercury's smirk vanished instantly. "What was that again?"

Cinder's own just grew. "I said: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you both behind, I'm sorry I even pulled you into this life to begin with, and I'm sorry I never cared. But I won't leave you behind now, I want to get you _out_ of that life now, and I want to show you that I _do_ care for you both now. If you'll just give me the chance, and come back to my side again."

"Wait a sec...are you offering, or demanding?"

"I'm offering - you can take it or not."

Mercury turned, hand coming to stroke his chin. "Hmmm...and now I feel like a total jackass for being the one to tell Em you didn't care about her."

"I didn't - but I want to now," Cinder admitted.

Silence.

Mercury let his hand fall away, threw up both his arms and shrugged. "Welp, I think we both know if I try to refuse, there's no way I could ever take on a Maiden by myself - seriously, what idiot sent _me_ to do this and expected I'd even stand a chance?"

"Salem."

Mercury gave her a sidelong look. A grin spread on his face. "That's the one!"

"So, you'll come back to me? You _want to_?"

"Eh, why the hell not? Let's get the dream team back together again, and see what we can do. Between you and me, I'd bet on you over that freak Tyrian, or Watts - seriously, what a pompous loser."

Cinder smiled. "Okay." She hesitated, eye searching behind Mercury. "Where's Emerald?"

Mercury's face went blank. "Oh, right. Her. Well you see...what with you running off and all...Salem needed somebody on her team who _could_ hope to stand against you. So-"

"So she sent Emerald after the Winter Maiden?"

"Pretty much, yep."

"She's going to die," Cinder said flatly.

"I said the same thing," Mercury confided. "Told her she didn't have a chance - but she wouldn't listen. She's gotten all weird lately - like you, apparently. All this talk about right and wrong, love and care, motivation and life story - I don't really care about all that crap. But she's big into it now."

Cinder swept her eye around the room, looking at her...team. "Neo, you get up there to Atlas - find Emerald, find the Winter Maiden. Stop her, tell her- tell her I'm sorry, tell her I care, tell her I want her back. Tell her Mercury already is. Use any means necessary - I don't care. Just get to her before she does...something she'll regret."

Emerald, in all her life so far, had never actually killed a single person.

Cinder didn't want that to change tonight.

When she thought back to being sixteen, to having just killed her stepfamily in grimm massacre...to those times afterward, with Lisari and Jenna...

She never wanted Emerald to have to feel that way, too.

Neo gave her a serious nod, and then she vaulted out the window without a second glance.

"That's great for her, but what do we do?" Mercury asked, holding out his hands.

"We do what we can here," Cinder replied, even.

A look of surprise came over Mercury's face. "Huh, things really have changed around here, haven't they? Alright, I'm down for it - why the hell not? Everyone else is losing their minds, whole world's going topsy turvy...why not join in on it?"

"Thank you."

Mercury blanched. "Still freaks me out, though..."

Cinder laughed.


	11. How To Save The One

Cinder twirled and spun, dancing between the grimm, slicing and impaling.

She lifted a hand and blasted out with Maiden fires, scorching a flying Teryx about to bear down on a fleeing family of four.

Mercury blasted aside two Sabres, rolled past a third and swept his leg under it, felling it. A swift flip and he brought his boot down on its head to end its life.

Miltia slashed and twirled, dancing between and around several enemies of her own. A precision and skill Cinder hadn't ever imagined the teenager could have - but she did have it.

Cinder was...impressed.

She told the girl so, earning her a strange look that wasn't exactly something that encouraged Cinder to try complimenting her again.

A red streak across the sky caught Cinder's attention - and then soaring down and materializing out of rose petals was _her_.

Ruby Rose.

"We've got three goliaths two blocks to the east - headed this way!"

Cinder eyed the girl, who was eyeing her in turn. She wondered if Qrow Branwen had sent the girl to her specifically, because of her Silver Eyes - to keep Cinder in line, or put her down if necessary. A threat, a force of leverage over her. Or had the girl decided to come do that all on her own?

In the end, she gave Ruby Rose a tight nod, and turned her attention to the giant grimm that had just come around the corner.

* * *

In all the chaos of Mantle, it wasn't that hard to steal an airship and fly up to Atlas.

It was a bit harder to land and bail, but Neo managed that one okay.

Getting to the Huntsmen Academy was easy enough for her - so was finding her way to General Ironwood's office, even if it took a while.

She searched around the desk until she hit the jackpot: Ironwood's scroll!

Neo snatched it up and tapped into it, finding his personal audio logs (a feature she'd never used on _hers_ , obviously, but she knew about it).

It took patience - there were a lot of them - but she eventually came to the information she needed.

"...I- I spoke with Winter today. I told her to go to the hospital again with Penny. We need to be ready, she needs to be...ready. To do what she has to. I'd like to believe she has it in her, but I'm honestly not so sure. She's often emotional, surprisingly emotional, and she can even be impulsive and-"

Neo paused the entry and put the scroll into her pockets. A hospital in Atlas, then...but which one? She sat down in Ironwood's chair and started up his computer's holoprojector; a search of Atlas showed her there were two major ones, one on her side of the city, and one on the far side.

Which one was the right one?

The General would want to keep the Winter Maiden close to him, surely...

The closer one, then!

Neo just had to hope she was right about this.

She was about as determined in her soul to stop the Emerald girl from making her worst mistake in life as Cinder was; after all, Neo had made a whole slew of those in _hers_ already, hadn't she? And lately, because of Cinder, she'd been reflecting on it all unwillingly again. Feeling, and remembering things she didn't want to. But she had anyways. And it hadn't been _pleasant for her_. Because what she found was just why she hadn't wanted to remember any of it to begin with - because she herself was not...pleasant.

Neo had remembered being sixteen and shoving that boy over, she had remembered holding a knife to his throat, she had remembered her own flush of pleasure and that heady sensation in her, the heaving of her chest. _Exhilaration._ She had remembered pleasures of flesh to follow pleasures of mind and soul - his, not as willingly felt as hers - and she had remembered the overwhelming confusion and horror to come immediately after. She had remembered coming home from school to her parents that day, remembered how they had yelled at her, looked at her for it...how upset and how _worried_ they'd been.

She had remembered her brief stint in jail, how her parents had turned a years long prison sentence into not even a single second - the flurry of news controversy, the boy's family accusing hers of exactly what they had done: used connection and money to keep their sixteen year old daughter from suffering any consequences for her actions. She had remembered the medicine, all the same, that her parents had privately insisted on giving her, she had remembered her pregnancy accelerating along, and she had remembered ultimately giving birth. She had remembered being overjoyed about it, despite her own feelings on how it had come about - what she had _done to that boy_. She had remembered feeling even more sick with herself for that, and spending hours laying awake begging the medicines to do their work on her more, faster, better. She had remembered every loving, waking moment spent adoring, spent caring, spent with. She had remembered sleeping every night in her bedroom with her son next to her.

She had remembered strained relations with her parents even still, remembered friends at school all avoiding her like she was a grimm, and she had remembered starting to care less and less about school, to the point where she just stopped going (her parents had said that maybe it was for the best, keep her at home at all times).

And she had remembered, after just three months of this, how she had lost herself again - this time, with so much more severe consequences that not even her parents could shield her from. That they had chosen not to shield her from at all.

She had remembered her mother's horrified screams that had acted as her very own, laying on that bed of blood and coming out of it all, coming down from it all and _seeing_ , _realizing_ -

Neo had remembered being thrown out of the house - very literally, by her father's strong hands - and she had remembered from then on a life on the streets. Months wandering around Vale on her own, in and out of alleys, other homeless areas, getting into a few different people's homes that never lasted more than a few days. She had remembered her multiple attempts to just kill her shitty self already, to see her son again, to beg for forgiveness...but they hadn't taken.

And she had remembered Roman finding her, sitting with her in an alley. How he had just...listened to her - offered her his scroll, let her tap away as she pleased on it. How he had promised her safety, food, comfort, warmth, and a life to live with purpose again. A life with _him_ to look out for her, to teach her and train her. "Since, evidently, nobody else seems to want to bother." His words to her, said loudly and with a grandiose wave of an arm - but with a gentleness that had been so...Neo had clung to it immediately.

Neo supposed she was still clinging to it.

Roman, who had taught her to fight, told her not to be ashamed of who or what she was - had _never_ _even said a word_ when she fell to those terrible urges, that heady feeling, so regularly felt in the life of a criminal - but when she'd unlocked her Semblance, and taken to its ability to change herself into anyone but herself, to play roles of people not the girl she was, Roman had pivoted for her and encouraged her to master it, and to have fun with it all. That if that was what she wanted, then who was he to say different?

Though, while Neo could say that playing her roles made her feel more _comfortable_ , it had never ever _stifled those urges_. Whether she was some helpful nurse, or a cocky pilot, or even a disciplined and focused member of a kingdom's military...when those urges roared in her, she could never forget just who she really was inside. No hiding, no denying. Never. Not a chance!

There'd never be a chance. Not even the best medicine money could buy had helped! Not even isolating herself at home. Not even...knowing exactly who and what she'd been holding propped up in her lap that day in her bedroom.

The sickness didn't discriminate, it didn't spare anyone - whether family, whether _son_ , _child_ , _baby_...there was never an exception when it reared its head in her.

For weeks now, Neo had been slipping away from Cinder and the others, every single time doing her damnedest to sate those urges as they came - to just _get away from them_ when they rose. Especially, get as far away from Maggy as possible. Thank god Flora had left with the little cutiepie; Neo didn't have to be so terrified about _that_ anymore.

At least not that. Not again.

And now here Neo was, trying to stop somebody else from doing the same thing that made her feel so sick inside - every time. Because Cinder had asked, because Cinder was _trying_ with her...trying to be something like what Roman had been to her, Neo had recognized, even as she had rebuked her most serious attempts at it (for who could ever replace Roman in her soul like that?).

But it was more than that: Cinder was always trying to be _better!_ To do _more!_ To make up for...to fix her...and she wanted Neo to join her in that, too. She thought Neo could do the same!

Cinder...believed in Neo to do the same.

So Neo would believe in herself, too.

Like she hadn't since she was sixteen, and desperate and hopeful as she shoved multiple pills down her throat.

Neo parked the car she'd stolen in front of the hospital entrance, and she walked inside.

She moved through the lobby without being seen - courtesy of her illusion Semblance - and swiftly navigated the hallways.

Though, just where she was going or what she was looking for, she wasn't even sure. Just...anything that didn't look like it fit, as Roman would have told her. Find what stands out, and looks like it's trying _not_ to stand out.

And low and behold, Neo did: she found an isolated little hall and a door closed, with military guards standing in front of it.

Neo imitated their outfits and put on an air of conformity and familiarity. She walked with hands behind her back, shoulders squared.

She raised a hand as she approached, giving a small wave and a nod - a flash of a smile.

One guard gave a nod back, leaned over and hit the button to open the door for her.

She strode through, chin raised.

As soon as she'd rounded the corner, she let her arms fall to her sides and let her shoulders drop a bit.

And she smiled to herself.

_It's always so easy!_

If only it was so easy to handle herself as it was to deal with others.

Neo strode down the hall and made for the first door she saw.

Inside the hospital room, she saw the back of one Emerald Sustrai, standing right in front of an old woman asleep on a bed.

A sickle was in the girl's hand, held loosely at her side. It was shaking. Little noises came from her, sniffling and hitching breaths.

Emerald turned immediately at sound of the door, her eyes setting on Neo with shock. And then, resolve. She grabbed out her second weapon, aiming the gun at Neo across the distance.

Neo held up her hands, twisting her face into sympathy and shaking her head quickly.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Emerald's voice was thick, strained.

Neo reached slowly for her waist, her scroll. She got it out and began typing a furious, long message. Then, she knelt down, placed it on the floor, and slid it across to the girl. And she remained where she was, like that.

Emerald stooped to retrieve it, never taking her eyes off Neo. Until she had to.

A gasp escaped the girl's lips. Those lips twisted. Tears welled in her eyes. And then she let out a yell and hurled the scroll against the wall - shattering it. Her sickle transformed back into a second gun, which joined the other in aiming at Neo. "W-why did she send _you?_ Why didn't she come here herself if she wanted to show me she _cared so much_? Why didn't she...why did she leave me in the first place?! Alone with that- monster!"

Neo put a hand on hip, gesturing with annoyance to her broken scroll. She threw up her hands at the girl.

Emerald ducked her head, gritting her teeth. "If she's not going to even bother showing up to me in p-person, then I don't care what she has to say! Now stay back - I have a mission to do!"

Neo took a step forward, holding out her arms. _Don't do this, you don't have to do this - I know it will ruin you inside. I'm ruined inside over mine. Cinder is over hers - a lot of hers..._

Emerald's expression changed - she could see what Neo was desperate to convey to her. And... "It's too late! If Cinder isn't going to care about _me,_ I'm done caring about _her_!"

Neo was about to trigger her Semblance, get close to the girl - try to get her away from the old woman, the Winter Maiden - when the door to the room opened again.

"Both of you, put those weapons down and surrender yourselves - I'm only giving you one chance!" Winter Schnee barked out, hand on the hilt of her blade.

Penny Polendina was beside her, fists clenched, eyes narrowed. Behind her floated an array of blades - a round dozen! Her eyes found Neo, and widened. She put a hand on Winter's arm. "Wait - Neopolitan is with Cinder Fall."

"Yes, she is, I'm aware, Penny."

"Qrow Branwen said we could trust them to help-"

"I know what he said!" Winter snapped. "But just because _he_ is comfortable working with murderers and thieves _does not mean that I am_! Forget what he said: What _I am saying_ is that we're going to follow military protocol when it comes to wanted fugitives infiltrating the kingdom - and infiltrating the room holding one of the most heavily guarded secrets we have! Am I clear?"

"But if we can just talk to her, why shouldn't we?" Penny pressed on. She looked at Neo, not waiting for an answer from her compatriot. Her head tilted. An arm came forward, palm up. "Please, I would hope that this is a misunderstanding of some sort. Perhaps you came here to warn us? Or maybe to protect-"

"Penny, enough!" Winter drew her blade, and stepped forward. Her eyes were cold, biting into Neo like the bad weather in Mantle. "Last chance: _Surrender. Now!_ "

Neo looked at her, she looked at Penny Polendina - pulled all her desperation and frustration onto her face - and then she looked to Emerald.

Emerald, who was standing there with bared teeth, weapons now pointed at Winter and Penny.

_Please..._

Emerald growled, and then she lunged, guns transforming into chained sickles.

Neo flew to intercept her, bringing her umbrella up to catch her weapons on it. She spun them both around and threw the girl at the nearest wall; Emerald caught herself and bounced right back with an Aura blast out of her feet.

Neo redirected a blow, caught another slash and let it slide along her umbrella and twirled around the girl, kicked her in the lower back - sent her stumbling right for an advancing Winter.

Winter punched Emerald in the gut, seized her by the neck and threw her back toward Penny, and then she was rushing for Neo with a cold look on her face.

Neo backed up and corrected her footing, to properly begin blocking and exchanging blows with the elite operative of Atlas military. And she wasn't _elite_ for nothing; Neo was finding her just a bit difficult to keep up with!

Penny was battling Emerald, overwhelming her with many blades and knocking her around, batting her across the face and the body with the flat of her blades.

"Penny, what are you _doing?_ " Winter snarled out, sparing a glance. "Neutralize the threat!"

"She does not look like she _wants_ to do this," Penny retorted.

"Shut up, you don't know anything, you stupid toy!" Emerald yelled, reflecting several blades with desperation.

"Penny-" Winter began, furious.

"She's _crying_."

"And yet she's still here!" Winter hurled out as she drove a knee into Neo's stomach and uppercutted her with the butt of her sword, sparking her Aura something fierce. "Enough screwing around, you _bring her down!_ "

Neo triggered her Semblance and rushed for Emerald, throwing herself at her and smacking her hard across the face with her weapon.

Her illusion shattered behind her as Winter barreled through it - the woman was left confused a moment, but then she'd whirled and snarled. Was coming right back for her.

Neo kicked twice at Emerald, shoved her in the arm to spin her around into the path of one of Penny's blades - an Aura flicker resulted.

Winter was lunging, thrusting her blade out for Neo.

Neo flipped over her head, flipped _off of her head_ , and came down on the other side of Emerald. She punched the girl in the ribs, slapped her with her umbrella across back of the head three times in quick succession. Emerald stumbled, caught several of Penny's blades up and down her front, flickering her Aura each time.

Winter slashed for Neo; Neo ducked and came up to uppercut Emerald, drive her umbrella's length into her stomach with both hands. Winter seized the back of her coat and shoved her forward, bringing her blade slicing down for the back of her neck. Neo lashed out at Winter's knee with a precise kick, causing the woman to wobble and her strike to go off-course. Neo was able to slip away, out of the fray.

Winter's face twisted, and she flew at Neo with a second blade suddenly in hand now.

Neo dodged and weaved, backflipped several times over to evade the swords - but it was tough going, even for her!

 _This whole thing is going to be tough going_ , she reflected. But she set her jaw and renewed her resolve with another look at Emerald. This was for the girl's own good; she knew better than anyone.

Neo _knew_.

And she had to save her from it!

* * *

Cinder dragged a superheated blade across the flank of the goliath, searing it through with intense fires.

It collapsed, but still wasn't quite dead yet.

A swift few sniper rounds through its skull from Ruby Rose changed that.

Mercury killed off a pack of six Sabyrs, brushing off his shoulders and giving a light bounce on his feet. He waved a hand with a smirk set on his face. "Easy pickings - give me something harder."

Ruby paused suddenly, face changing, hand going to her ear. "We've got a Megoliath coming! Blake's leading it to us!"

Mercury lifted a finger, gave it a delicate point. " _That_ could be a challenge; bring it on."

 _Blake._ The name rang familiar in her mind: the Belladonna girl - the one who'd saved the lives of Maggy and Flora the other night, from Tyrian.

Cinder didn't have to wait long for the faunus girl in question to come racing around a corner, a massive grimm behind her - rampaging, so hard it smashed through a storefront before continuing to give chase.

Belladonna led the Megoliath right down the street, straight for Cinder.

She tossed up a ribbon and swung high off a lamppost.

Cinder squared her shoulders and brought up her hands, exploding with Maiden fires.

The Megoliath was being incinerated, but not fast enough to kill it - stop its rampage. It was _tough_.

_Okay, then..._

Cinder let her flames die and swirled a hand, creating an actual tornado around the creature - lifting it up off the street, spinning it around wildly. She flicked her wrist and sent it flying a hundred feet into the air. It came down and hit with a thundering _crash_ \- dead.

"Awww, come on - I didn't even get a piece of it," Mercury complained, throwing up his hands.

Belladonna was staring at Cinder, eyes wide, jaw dropped. "T-that was..."

Cinder raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Incredible..." the girl breathed.

Cinder flashed a smile. "Thanks; I try. And..."

Belladonna eyed her. "Yes...?"

"I...I owe you another thank you - for Maggy, and Flora," Cinder said, quiet and awkward.

"Oh - that was nothing, I was just doing my j-job."

"Just take the gratitude - I don't give it out freely," Cinder said dryly.

"She reaaaaally doesn't," Mercury said, putting a hand to one side of his mouth, as if imparting a secret. "Ever."

Belladonna flushed, nodded to Cinder. "Right - okay. You're welcome, then. I was glad I could protect them."

Cinder nodded back. "That's more like it."

Ruby Rose came striding up to them. Her and Blake exchanged looks. "Where is the next problem area at?" Blake asked her teammate.

Ruby put hand to ear - to earpiece - eyes furrowed. "It sounds like Yang and Miltia need help out west."

"Then we'll head that way." Blake nodded. "Tell them it will take us some time."

"You people take too long to get anywhere," Cinder remarked. She stepped forward and seized the girls' arms, bent her knees. She gazed at Mercury, reaching out for his wrist.

He pulled away, raising his hands. "Hey now, I'm okay with taking a little walk. I like the breeze."

"W-wait, what are you even-" Blake started to stammer.

"Just don't squirm too much, and you'll be fine," Cinder advised her. And with that, she blasted off into the night sky, carrying the two screaming girls along with her.

She soared west, eyes scanning around herself - keeping a watch out for flying grimm.

What she didn't ever count on was a hailstorm of bullets that came splattering into her front, barraging her Aura and knocking her out of the air.

Cinder twisted and fell, trying to right herself - but it was too late! She slammed into the roof of a building, bounced off it, letting go of the two huntresses in the process, and fell down into an empty street alone.

The sound of boots on concrete.

"Well, well, well...what a coincidence it is, running into you like this! Oh, it has been _ages_ , hasn't it? We have _so much catching up to do!_ "

Cinder lifted her head, and set her eye on none other than Tyrian.

 _Rage._ Like nothing felt before in her entire life - not even for Ruby Rose, not even for Salem, not even for her stepmother - not for _anyone or anything_.

She didn't even register the golden and blue lamp hanging from the man's belt.

"My oh my, yes we do! Say, for instance, did you know I got a nice look at your _adorable_ little baby sister the other night? I would just _love_ to meet her again, give that cute little face a _squeeze_ \- if you get what I'm-"

Cinder burst into flames, casting off in waves, sheer force that annihilated shopfronts, turned signposts to ash, and exploded several holes in the street around her. She rose into the air, and brought her arm up over head.

Storm clouds rolled, rumbling - turning a glowing orange to light up the night.

Fire tornados came swirling down onto the world, sucking up cars and debris, and nearby grimm.

Fireballs rained down on the world from the scorched sky, exploding on contact.

Tyrian was leaping about, laughing high. He aimed his weapons at her from a rooftop and unloaded at her - every single bullet refused to hit her, striking magical barrier.

She gazed down at him, shoving her palm at him; the building he was perched on exploded. A purple gravity sphere appeared in the middle of it all, pulling Tyrian in, snatching him out of mid air as he leaped away. The debris swirled around him, chunks of stone knocking into him to batter his Aura.

Undisguised fear on his face now.

Cinder closed her fist, and the shattered building came rushing in on Tyrian.

 _It looks like I squeezed_ you _first._

She breathed, and let it all go.

The world went dark again, the fires faded - everything was calm, and still.

She touched down on the devastated street again.

She stalked for the pile of debris, and blood, and gore that had once been Tyrian Callows. That golden and blue lamp was among it all, somehow still gleaming, and somehow still intact.

 _The Relic of Knowledge,_ she realized now, in clarity of post murder. The description Salem had given them...this fit it perfectly.

The one she'd gone to Haven to retrieve - and failed to.

The night she had freed herself of all this.

Cinder stooped down to pick it up by the handle, holding it up and giving it a closer look. Pretty, pulsing, neat and clean...whispering to her with...

"Cinder!"

She startled, turning.

Ruby Rose stood there, her scythe gripped in hand. Her lips were pressed, her eyes were hard.

Cinder gave a snort, and clipped the thing to her hip. "Don't be an idiot," she told the girl, sauntering past her and shaking her head.

Behind her, she heard Ruby Rose let a breath go.

_Idiot. I couldn't go back to Salem even if I wanted to - and I never want to. Not even this would get me back in her good graces. That's long past us._

Cinder strode for Blake, giving her a look over. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"After all of _that_? Surprisingly, no," Blake laughed, shaking her head. Her eyes fell on the Relic, but she said nothing.

"So, how does it work?" Cinder asked, gesturing down to it.

"Nothing too complicated: just say 'Jinn' and-"

"Blake, no!" Ruby's voice cried shrilly.

Cinder looked over a shoulder at the girl. "Calm your non-existent tits - I don't even know what it _does_. What could I possibly do with it? And besides, aren't we all on the same side now?"

"I- wha- _what?!_ "

Cinder smirked, straightening her head, and finding Blake with flushed cheeks and a hand clasped to her mouth.

She held out an arm. "Can we move along now? We do have somewhere to be, don't we?"

"Right." Blake took it gingerly. "Ruby, come on-"

A Teryx came hurtling over a rooftop, and its long beak snatched up Ruby Rose.

Her Aura flickered as the grimm flew off with her.

"Ruby!" Blake yelled out, horrified.

Cinder growled and flew up into the air, giving chase to the grimm.

She reached out her hand, pulsing it blue; the Teryx's wings began to freeze over, and it fell.

Hit the side of a building, bringing a wall down.

Cinder landed, waving her hand as it glowed with magic; the debris soared away, revealing the grimm and the girl.

The Teryx whipped its head around, red eyes falling on Cinder.

 _Sorry..._ she thought vaguely, sending a spear through its brains.

It evaporated, dropping Ruby Rose.

Cinder put hand on hip, staring down at the girl.

Ruby Rose had the good grace to look ashamed now. In a very small voice she said, " _I'm sorry._ "

"Good." Cinder turned away and stalked off. _Try to apologize for my eye next, and we might get somewhere._

Suddenly an Ursa Major was roaring, and smacking her bodily with a huge clawed limb.

Cinder went rolling across the street, hitting a mailbox and denting it.

The Relic had gotten loose - it lay a few feet away.

Cinder rolled for it, snatching it up and extending a hand to blast out flames at the Ursa - it was killed in short order. But the Teryx and Ursa had attracted more, as grimm did - several more Ursa, and eight Sabyrs.

Oh, and what looked to be eight Manticores flying in from above.

_Great..._

Ruby Rose came rushing out of the shopfront, right to her. She glanced all around, at the grimm surrounding them. She looked down at herself - at her own empty hands. "Oh no, I dropped my weapon, I- where did it even land, we were _flying and I_ -"

"Ugh. Just stay behind me!"

There was a great crashing, the street rumbling, and a Megoliath was breaking through a building, stomping out onto the street behind them.

Ruby turned, her eyes wide. She looked all around, up to the sky, and then to Cinder. "Say her name!"

"What? Whose-"

"Jinn! Say it!"

Cinder was bewildered - but she didn't question it. She looked down at the Relic in her hands, and she spoke the name clearly: "Jinn."

And then the world around her came to a halt.

Alarms died away, the grimm froze in their tracks - snowfall itself just froze in mid air.

The Relic began to tremble, to glow, and it began to emit plooms of blue smoke as it floated out of her arms to hover a few feet away from Cinder.

The smoke whirled and expanded, coalescing into a great blue...woman, clad in golden chains. And nothing else at all.

Cinder stared, cheeks heated. "What?" she said blankly.

Suddenly that great figure was floating forward, bearing down on her. "I am Jinn, a being created by the God of Light, to aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. I can answer three questions every one hundred years. You're in luck, as I'm still able to answer one last question."

Cinder regarded this woman, this Jinn, for a long time. She looked down over herself, then to Ruby Rose, who was eyeing her with a most critical expression - and curiosity.

She lifted her head, and met Jinn's patient gaze once more.

The question didn't even matter - what mattered was depriving Salem this Relic, depriving her the question, she realized now.

All the same, there was one question springing to mind - only because Flora had once asked it of her. If Cinder was going to deprive Salem the question...why not get some use out of it herself in the process?

"What is my-" Her words caught. She breathed. No, that wasn't the right wording. That was too basic, too... "Who are my family?"

Jinn smiled. "Your question was excellently chosen: Your family is the family of Aryle - your father was Marcus Aryle, and your mother is Tyra Aryle."

Cinder drew a sharp breath, her eye fluttering. " _Is_? Not _was_?"

Jinn's smile remained fixed as she disappeared in a poof of smoke. The Relic's glow faded, and it gently fell to the ground.

And the world around Cinder started up again.

Cinder took up the now useless Relic, seized Ruby's arm roughly, and she blasted up into the skies once more to find her way back to Blake Belladonna.


	12. Destiny Comes

After hours of fighting, the voice came over her scroll.

"We've got a real problem going on up in Atlas!"

Qrow Branwen's voice, unexpected.

"What problem?" Cinder asked, tensed. Tired.

"Winter Schnee and Penny Polendina aren't responding to any calls, and there's reports out of a hospital of some kind of battle going on - or, was going on; it all went quiet a few minutes ago. This place is the same hospital where we were keeping the Winter Maiden."

_Emerald...what the hell did you do?_

"I'll take care of this - give me the location," Cinder replied shortly. Qrow obliged her, and she ended the call and soared into the sky for Atlas, faster than an airship.

She came upon the towering building and flew right in through the window of the level Qrow had told her the Winter Maiden was being kept.

Cinder ran through the halls, until she finally found the right place.

She stalked in, and found Emerald standing in front of an old woman on a bed - she had a gun trained on her skull. Nearby, laying unconscious, were Winter Schnee and Penny Polendina, and even Neo, too!

_Did Emerald beat them all...? How powerful has her Semblance become?_

Emerald's weapon was shaking, she noted.

"Emerald, don't."

The girl turned, staring with wide, tearful eyes. "You- you're here?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"You left me...you left me and never- Mercury was right, you never cared!" The girl accused, wild and high.

"Yes, I left, and that's right: I didn't care," Cinder admitted plainly. "But I care _now_. I want to care for you now! I left you, I left you with Salem, and I left you in all of this...and I'm sorry! But I'm here now, I can take you away from it all - I can take you from her! I can protect you, I can care for you - like you wanted me to, all this time! I can do it for real, I can show you, I can- please. Just let me try, let me show you."

Emerald lifted her second weapon, aiming it at Cinder. "But I've come this far! I'm right here, aren't I?! I'm just doing what you did!"

"I don't _want you_ to do what I've done!" Cinder pleaded, voice cracking. "I don't want you to be what I was, I don't want you to- to do these things! Emerald, you were just a child, trying to survive, and I- I never should have used you like I did, I never should have brought you into all this, I never should have...you didn't deserve any of it! At- at Beacon, when you said it was sad, you were right, okay? You were always right! It was wrong, it was awful, and I know that now! Because _you were right_! And you're right, you are here - you're standing here, about to murder a defenseless old lady in her bed. For the sake of power. Stupid power - _what power_?!"

Cinder breathed, controlled. "But unlike me, who's just- _so far gone already_ \- you don't even have to _start_ walking down the same path as me! You can just walk away, right now, step away from it. You can come with me, come with Mercury, we can go away together. All of us. Like before. Only this time...I promise you...I will do everything in my power to protect you, and show you just how much I _care_. Just give me the chance to make things right, please. And don't...don't make the same mistakes as me. Don't do such- awful things. Disgusting things. You don't have to."

" _Y-you really mean it...? All of it?_ "

"I really do, Emerald. Please...just...step away..."

Emerald dropped her weapons, whirling around and collapsing at the woman's bedside. She dropped her head and burst into wracking sobs. "I'm s-sorry, god I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...!"

Cinder watched as the old woman opened her eyes. As her dazed blue gaze found Emerald; a shaking hand reached out to touch her arm.

Emerald gasped, head coming up. Tears falling. "I- I'm s-sorry, I'm _sorry I-_ "

"Are you the one?" The Winter Maiden spoke quietly. "What a pretty young thing...Has it really been so long? Well, I'm ready now."

"I'm s-sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, dear - I knew I'd pass on from this. I knew...in passing this power on...and I'm ready."

"N-no, what? I-" Emerald choked out, backing away.

The woman took her hand, holding her. "It's all right, really...this isn't your fault. It's just my time, I think..."

A swirling Aura of white flared over the woman's body, and it traveled along her arm and crossed over onto Emerald where they were joined.

The woman gave a gasping breath, and her body went limp in the bed. Her hand fell away, arm hanging off the side.

Emerald stood slowly, turning to face Cinder. Dark green flames rippled out from her blotchy eyes.

_Well...shit._

* * *

Many hours more into the night, Mantle was a battleground.

A battleground now with two flying, powerful beings involved.

Beating back the grimm, aiding huntsmen and huntresses where they could.

Until exhaustion had taken almost every single one of them.

And night gave way to burgeoning dawn.

Light, and beautiful pink clouds and streaks across the sky.

Things had calmed by now, considerably so.

But the calm was only the kind that comes before a storm.

A literal storm, bursting and crackling with scarlet energy - magical energy.

Cinder sat on a rooftop with Emerald, staring up into the sky, as the clouds parted and out of it came a massive grimm - a whale grimm. Surrounding it were hundreds of flying grimm, Manticores, Sphinxes, Nevermores - all of them.

And atop the whale grimm, Cinder saw the crystal structure - the castle. Her castle.

And she knew, somehow, with cold certainty...

"She's h-here," Emerald whispered.

"Yes," Cinder said quietly. "She's-"

A ripple of scarlet and black energy nearby, and then Salem was standing _right there_ , seizing Emerald in a purple, magical glow and lifting her up, and then they both vanished together.

Cinder launched to her feet, swiping out at the energy - but it was gone before she even got there!

"Emerald!" she screamed, panic gripping her soul. _No, no, no - don't do this to me, don't make me fail_ again, _already, so soon! I just promised her, I just told her I'd care, I'd keep her safe, I just..._

 _No, shut up - stop freaking out,_ she told herself fiercely. _Think. Why would Salem take Emerald? What would she do to her?_

It was obvious: Emerald was the Winter Maiden now, and Salem, in all the ways she just _knew things_ , had to know that too. And so she'd taken her, and she was going to use her to get into the vault. To get to the Staff of Creation.

Cinder keyed into her scroll, calling every single person she had on it simultaneously in group call (she'd entered in a lot of new numbers over the night's course of events).

"Salem just took Emerald; she's going to go right for the vault - for the damn staff! If you have people there, tell them to prepare...however they can," she ended in a mutter.

"Oh my god." The voice to exclaim this with tremor of terror was not the one she'd expected: it was General Ironwood. " _Everyone, we need to start evacuating Mantle immediately! Get everyone down to the crater, there are mine shafts there that you can take shelter in!"_

"Wait, what? Why, what's going on?" Qrow's voice came over the line. "Do you realize how long it'll take to get everyone down to that-"

"It will take far longer if you don't shut up and get to it!" Ironwood yelled. "Once- once Salem removes the staff, Atlas is going to _fall_. It won't just be Mantle that gets wiped out; everyone on Atlas will die in the impact as well!"

_No. Maggy! Flora..._

Did Cinder even have hope of getting to them in time?

She had to try, no matter what.

"I'm going up there," she said.

"No!" Winter Schnee's biting tone came. " _You are going_ to obey the General's orders, and stay to evacuations in-"

Cinder cut her off and ended the call, and flew for Atlas one more time. Beaten, tired, her flying was a bit off-course now.

But she persisted.

She had to make it, she had to!

She'd snatch them up, bring them down to that crater, and put them in safe hands. And then...then she'd worry about everyone else.

Emerald, too; Cinder didn't know how she was going to save her now. Would Salem just kill her after using her, or would she think she was too valuable, and liable to be terrified into going back on her short lived decision to go over to Cinder's side this past night?

Maggy...how was Cinder supposed to know where to even find her? Or Flora?

She could make the most likely _guesses_ , but in a time-sensitive situation like this, guessing wasn't good enough! She had to _know_!

How was she supposed to-

_Oh...right. I can talk to people. That is a thing I can do._

She pulled out her scroll and called Qrow Branwen's up. "Tell me where Maggy and Flora are! I'm bringing them to the crater!"

"The Huntsman Academy," Qrow said quickly - and for once, without a joke or witty little comment in sight.

"Thanks." Cinder stowed her scroll and made right for the Academy, determination filling her soul.

She was almost there, she could do this - _she wouldn't fail this_...

Not this time!

Cinder soared down in front of the entrance to the Academy, ignoring all the alarms going off, ignoring the echoing voice of Ironwood urging evacuation by any airships to be spared - ignoring the Huntsmen and Huntresses crying out at sight of her.

Some of them didn't want to be ignored, however.

"Hey! You - you can't just come in here like this, it's off limits to civilians unless-"

Cinder seized the confronting huntress up by her collar, lifting her into the air, igniting Maiden eyes. " _There are two civilians in here right now! A woman and a baby! Where are they?!_ "

"Hey, let me go, I'm not telling you a damn-"

Cinder screamed in her face, whirling and slamming the woman into a pillar so hard it shattered - and her Aura broke, thrown up hastily and lasting only a second. " _Tell me! They're going to die, you're all going to die - Altas is going to fall, or didn't you get the memo?! I'm here to evacuate them, one of them is my family, so tell me goddamnit!_ "

"Alright! Just please don't- t-they're- the last I heard, they were staying on level three, in the spare-"

Cinder didn't let the woman finish her sentence; she tossed her aside, quite literally, and ran for the nearest elevator.

More calls came after her from other, idiotic, oblivious huntsmen.

Cinder ignored them all as elevator doors closed, and it began to rise to level three.

She waited impatiently for those doors to open again.

Then she took off down the hall, following the helpful signs on the walls.

In all her haste, Cinder ran smack into someone emerging out of a door on her left.

Two Auras flickered, crashing against one another; two voices cried out.

One of them fell back, landing flat on their ass.

Cinder spared a glance down- and froze.

"Flora!" she cried. Her eye immediately found Maggy, being protectively cradled in Flora's arms.

"Wha- Cinder?" A quaver, eyes wide. Filled with... "What are you-"

"Altas is falling - literally. I'm here to get you and Maggy to safety; everyone is being evacuated to the crater below," Cinder said shortly, reaching down to grab Flora's hand and help her up again. Flora accepted it, still just sort of staring at her.

Flora took another moment, searching her face, looking her in the eye. Then, she nodded, lips pressed. "Alright. Let's go."

Cinder smiled with all that she felt right then - and Flora, in flickering hesitance, offered a ghost of one in return that might not have actually been there at all. She turned away, scanning the wall nearest her. A window, large and tall. _Perfect._ She gave Flora a look over, shifting on her feet. "I need you to hang onto me - I don't want to drop either of you on the way down."

Flora just nodded, stepping over to her. She placed herself in front of Cinder, back to her, backing up against her. "My waist," she spoke flatly.

Cinder wrapped arms around Flora from behind, firm and powerful. "Okay...ready for this? I've got _you_ , but please don't drop Maggy."

"I haven't dropped her once, in all this time I've been taking care of her."

"Y-yes, but you've never gone flying with her before," Cinder said patiently, pointedly as she could be.

"Alright, good point...I've got her. We can go."

"Wait." Cinder hesitated still. She burned her Maiden eyes, and focused on something she had rarely done before, save for on the wall: creation. Several strong straps materialized, wrapping around both her and Flora's bodies. One formed right across Maggy, binding her specifically to Flora's chest. It was awful looking, but it was the best she could do - and she felt satisfied at having done it at all.

And now, at last, Cinder burned flames out of her feet, and she hovered with her passengers. She carefully maneuvered forward, out the window, and then she was soaring down at an angle, for the crater, at much higher speeds. Though, not nearly as fast as she'd gone to get up here in the first place.

Cinder flew for a familiar few people among literal truckloads of randoms descending the side of the crater, heading for a mineshaft entrance.

Cinder dematerialized her straps, let Flora and Maggy go, and stepped away.

Flora turned to look at her. "Thank you."

Cinder just nodded, and she prepared to fly away to help with evacuations.

Just as she was going to, the world went silent - an absence of common, constant sound.

All the power of Atlas, every sign, every light, every screen, every generator up there - it all went silent, instantly.

And without it, the very air itself was _different_.

Cinder's head came up in time to see the city of Atlas begin to move...to _fall_ through the air, from thousands of feet up.

Qrow Branwen was staring with pure shock on his face. _Devastation_ \- of the kind that was to come.

Yang looked at her uncle, at her sister, horror etched in every feature. "T-there has to be....something we can do! We didn't even- _we only got a few dozen people out of Mantle_!"

"There was never going to be enough time..." Qrow whispered, more to himself than to his niece.

_No...no...no..._

Cinder's arms were useless at her sides. Her lips trembled. Her legs were still half-bent, prepping to fly. But fly to what? To do what, now? To save _who_?

Failure...fail...another kingdom...another city... _two whole cities_...to be destroyed because of what she'd brought to them - once again...

_No._

What use was all this power, this ancient magic in her, what use was _any of what she'd done all these past few weeks,_ what was the _point_ _in anything she'd ever done and said and thought and felt_ , _if in the end none of it fucking meant anything, if she was just going to fail again, and fail so monumentally that she'd never be able to-_

_No!_

Intense amber flames roared to life from her eyes, Cinder exploded flames from her boots, and she rocketed right up for the underside of the now plummeting city of Atlas.


	13. My Hands

Cinder soared into the skies, right for the underside of Atlas even as it fell to Mantle.

She hovered, watching it near, grow larger and larger to fill her vision all the more...

She clenched her fists and choked back a sob, twisted her face into a fierce snarl, and she thrust her arms up out at Atlas, and unleashed the fullest might of Maiden Magic.

Icy power erupted, blasting up out to strike at Atlas. It reached back down to the ground, hundreds of feet below, and solidified there. And between, an icy pillar began to form even as it was being shattered as Atlas hurtled down - like it wasn't even there.

Cinder pushed more into it, more and more; her pillar widened, a hundred feet, icy layers forming over anew over the shattering portions.

Atlas showed zero signs of slowing.

She widened it by another hundred, and another, and another, and _another_ \- and then she screamed and _exploded_ her power right up over the underside of Atlas, covering it, forming a cradle. Icy pillars and spikes erupted around the edge of the floating, falling city, towering like new skyscrapers themselves...

And it still wasn't enough!

Atlas was shattering the cradle, bowling through it, the spikes and pillars fell away, and her main pillar trying to hold the city up...was still being destroyed, crushed down, dozens of feet at a time!

_No! Damnit, no!_

Cinder pushed _more_ : her body was trembling, glowing, raw magic was bursting and casting off her, burning her inside and outside...

And then Emerald was there, somehow, soaring down from clouds above, from out the side of Atlas! She flew down to hover next to her, her eyes burning a dark green, her arms raising to mimic Cinder. Her entire being pulsed with Maiden power, and Cinder's cradle and pillar were being reinforced even further, more certainly - the cradle was growing thicker, the spikes and pillars multiplied, jagged and rough. The main pillar widened several hundred feet more, solidified itself all the more.

And _Atlas was still falling!_

Emerald was straining...crying out with burning agony...

Cinder intensified her own magic _even more_ ; her clothes were long gone, and her body was sizzling and charring. Her hair was burning away, and her good eye felt like it was melting in its socket. The flames casting off from her eyes roared a dozen feet high!

Emerald somehow found it in herself to do the same; her flames roared to new heights as well, rippling and popping wildly in a body that couldn't handle it.

Atlas bore down on the two like an unstoppable monster, and their hands made contact with the hundred foot thick, icy cradle's underside of their own making, reinforcing even as they touched it.

Power pulsed and rippled across it, desperate, more and more...

Atlas was still taking them down with it, heedless of any efforts to slow it; the sound of shattering ice and roaring flames was all Cinder heard, all she was aware of.

_STOP IT, JUST STOP IT! STOP FALLING, STOP FALLING, SLOW DOWN, PLEASE, GOD PLEASE - FLORA, MAGGY, NEO - PLEASE!_

A noise, familiar in Cinder's ears, right nearby, so high up in the air.

Cinder turned, and saw the rippling red portal.

The black bird that came hurtling out of it.

And then it changed, and Raven Branwen was hovering with glowing red eye flames, stretching her arms strongly up to make contact with the icy cradle underside.

Power roared out of her, rippling across the ice to add to Cinder and Emerald's own efforts. Threefold, three times, now!

Was Atlas slowing, was the massive icy pillar and cradle being destroyed at less of a frequent rate?

Or was that dreams and delusions?

Was that desperate hope, terrifying pleading?

The ground was still getting closer, terrifyingly close...they were still hurtling, they were still...

Cinder's head turned again, and she settled on the massive Grimm whale. On the figure standing there atop it, watching with her arms crossed like a disapproving stepmother...

Cinder _roared_.

Raven was crying, screaming, shaking her head.

Emerald's arms were bending, her body nearly pressing flat to Atlas. She was howling and bursting with flames across her entire body now. Becoming as much of a charred mess as Cinder was, but persisting all the same.

A new roar of fire, and a dark skinned woman was floating to Cinder's right, with purple flames coming from her eyes. She shoved her arms out and gritted her teeth, her power exploding out of her to join theirs. Intensifying, skyrocketing immediately; giving it her all, no holding back, no hesitating to do so.

Cinder set her jaw and pushed every last _inch_ of power she had inside of her, putting her entire _soul_ into it.

_"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrghhhhhhhh!"_

The Four Maidens, prosperous tenders of the lands, protectors of all peoples, became shining suns of emerald, scarlet, amber, and purple light in the skies of Mantle, and a wave of magical energy rippled out across the landscape for hundreds of miles.


	14. The Tale Of The Four Maidens

Flora shielded her and Maggy's eyes as the four burning lights exploded to become new suns, casting across the land and blinding all.

There was a massive, swirling wave of magic that exploded out across the lands, washing over the crater with a deep _thrumming_ sound that penetrated the depths of Flora's very soul.

And then the roaring, rumbling noises...all came to a stop.

The world was silent again.

The four suns, purple, red, green and orange, swiftly dimmed, and died.

Several scant hundred feet above the tops of Mantle's rooftops, was the thick, icy underside of the city of Atlas.

Frozen, cradled, and motionless.

The massive, wide base pillar holding it up...was _holding it up_.

True and strong.

And the four Maidens...they were still so high up, but they weren't burning anymore, no longer suns. But neither were they people again.

Four differently colored crystal figures were posed with arms outstretched, fused to the icy cradle's underside by ice and crystal themselves, connecting them, holding them there, to what they had created in utter desperation, and with the most powerful magic in this world. And the power of their very souls.

Statues, beacons - for this entire world to see.

The Four Maidens returned to this world to save it - with their very _lives_.

A fairytale and a miracle made real, for the peoples of Atlas and Mantle alike, in the most terrifying moment of need imaginable.

Flora held Maggy to her, head raised, never once taking her eyes off of the amber statue glistening in the sun that was once the woman she...had once cared about.

"Cinder...gave her life for the people of Atlas...for all of Mantle..." Ruby Rose was whispering, tearstruck, gazing up into the sky just the same. She sounded a bit confused, in all honesty. She blinked, they fell, and then she smiled a little. "She really did it...she really...saved everyone..."

"S-so did mom..." Yang voiced, choked. "Mom..."

Qrow walked over to the girls, taking them into his arms, and holding them close. He gazed into the sky at his sister's crystalline figure, and his eyes glistened in sun. He cocked a small smile. "Knew you had it in you, sis..."

"No way..." Mercury gasped, fists clenched. "Em...?"

Everyone stood together, gazing skyward, silent in vigil.

"Wh-what is this? What happened to them?" Yang demanded of Ozpin, whirling. "They can't be _dead_ , can they? The powers aren't transferring! They can't be, it's not transferring, so it's not true!"

Flora whipped her head around, hope bursting in her.

Ozpin looked at her, at Yang, at Qrow and Mercury. He hesitated. "They...are not dead, no. But this miraculous feat they've accomplished together, the expenditure of so much raw magical power, to put so much of their souls into it...it is likely they are on verge of-"

"But they aren't _dead_?" Yang persisted, desperate, grabbing the boy's arms. "She can't be dead, she can't be - there's just no way! I need to tell her- she did the right thing, she was _good_ and _strong_ and- and I'm _proud to call her my mom for once in my life, dammit!_ "

Ozpin dropped his head, lifted his hands and stared at them. Silent, still. "They're likely in some form of...magical stasis. A way to recover and preserve what last vestiges of life they have left in their souls after what they've done here today. It was a last resort measure for magic users...back in my original lifetime, my original era. When the very soul was attacked, or damaged - or, in this case, burned out from the inside."

"That's right - their powers came from _you_!" Yang cried, shaking him, tears streaking. "It's _your magic, isn't it?!_ So wake them up, go wake them up! We can get them to a hospital, we can heal them the normal way - their auras can fix it - just _wake them up_! Get them out of there!"

"Please!" Flora said, choked, stepping forward. She was hardly even aware that she was - that she was speaking. "Please, if there's anything you can do for them - for _her_...Please, you have to try."

Ozpin looked at them. He looked at Qrow, to the distraught, pleading look on the man's face, the tears shimmering. "I will...see what I can do. But I can make no promises that it will work. And even if it does, they will likely not be in any state to...they may be affected permanently, in ways I can't really guess at - I never used the technique myself, and I didn't know anyone personally who had; I only heard stories around the lands! A- a general knowledge, a-"

"Just try, please..." Flora whispered.

Ozpin gave a sympathetic nod, drew a breath, and turned his gaze skyward. A single hand raised, shimmering with green energy. A magic ancient, and unfathomable to all of modern era, in breadth and depth. His eyes glowed like emeralds, his face twisted with concentration.

Then, suddenly, all four crystal figures burst with new light - a green light; the crystal melted away, and four separate figures began to fall as one, tumbling hundreds of feet in freefall. Ozpin's palm flared, pulsed with more energy, soft and gentle; the four were enveloped in it, and their descent slowed and became a gentle one. A flick of his wrist, and the four came soaring down into the crater, settling before the crowds on their backs.

He let out a breath and put his hand down, falling to his knees.

Flora handed Maggy off to a very reluctant Blake, and she rushed forward immediately - as did Yang and Ruby. Qrow, too. Jaune went to the side of the Summer Maiden, immediately calling on his Semblance. Mercury was down on his knees next to Emerald, half-reaching to grab her shoulders, only to pull back with a look of fear.

Flora dropped to her knees and scooped Cinder into her arms.

Cinder who looked like a scorched corpse - and smelled like one, too. But her chest rose and fell, and the tiniest little gasps were escaping her lips as she regained consciousness.

"Fl...ora...?"

"I'm here, I have you, it's okay! You're going to be okay - you did it, you saved _so many people_! Two whole cities!" Flora laughed a bit hysterically, cradling Cinder in her lap. "That is the most wonderful, amazing, heroic, lovely, insane thing you have ever done - you are _never_ going to top it, save saving the _world_ \- and I'm so happy, I'm so proud, I'm so- you _succeeded_ , Cinder! Everyone's safe, everyone's okay...And you're going to be okay too! And I- I'm sorry I left you, I'm sorry I-"

"N-no." Cinder's eye fluttered open, squinting up at her. Her charred lips tugged into a ghost of a smile. "You were...so right to leave me...Anyone would've...smartest, bravest, rightest thing you ever did...Never- say sorry for...g-getting away from a...person like me...That's just being sane..."

"Then I guess I'm insane now, because I'm here with you again."

"You shouldn't be..."

"I'll decide what I should or shouldn't be, how about?"

"Okay, of- of course...sorry...didn't mean to..." Cinder's head lolled, her eye closed.

Vision faded, and hearing sharpened into clarity.

"The Four Maidens! They're real, look, mommy! They stopped Atlas from falling; they saved everybody!"

"I can't believe it's them - they were only a fairy tale!"

"That was _real magic!_ My word!"

Cinder opened her eye, lazily sweeping over the crowd of citizens gathering now more prominently, closely around the four saviors of fairy tale and legend. "Flora...I..."

"Yes? What is it?" Flora asked, attentive.

"...Not going to stop until I _do_...s-save the world...Till I stop her...It's- all I can do...try to make up for...try to fix...every day until I die...And feel- so sorry...even after I die...wherever my soul goes. I'll always feel...everything..."

Flora nodded down to her. She looked to the crowd. "Alright, everyone, please give us some space here! This is a very delicate situation, with some very delicate people!"

"Not..." Cinder mumbled instantly. "Stupid..."

Flora laughed. "Let's get you to a hospital - are there any medical personnel around?"

Cinder and the others soon found themselves on stretchers. The crowd parted for them, with reverence and awe.

"If there was ever a better way for the Maidens to become known to the world again...it's gotta be this," Qrow said, nudging Ozpin. "Right?"

Ozpin smiled, and nodded. "Yes, I suppose so. Perhaps...it was just time for all of these secrets to finally come out. And perhaps that isn't going to be so terrible. I...suppose we can only hope. I'd almost forgotten what that felt like, honestly. Especially in recent years. And, I suppose I had also forgotten the soul's capacity for change - in the case of Ms. Nuveri and her troupe. But, if they can indeed change...then perhaps even _she_ could..." Ozpin shook his head, his smile tinged now with an ancient nostalgia, and sorrow. "It would be quite something, to see _her_ how she once was again. She was radiant once, you know - pure and true - and lovely as could be. Especially with our daughters. I...I suppose I can only...hope."

Qrow did a double take. "That's right...Jinn...you weren't nearly as much of a stick in the mud thousands of years ago as you are today, huh? Getting lucky that many times - not that I'm saying our greatest enemy is any kind of...you know what, never mind!"

Ozpin laughed heartily.

* * *

Now out of danger, the people had relocated back into Mantle - reclaimed it from the stray grimm left wandering about.

And the four Maidens, specifically, had been relocated into a hospital on edge of the city.

After several hours of healing, first by medical personnel, and then by her own Aura's power regenerated, Cinder held her head high and stepped out of her hospital room - good as new. Well, as good as she could be; her insides still burned, her legs were trembling, and she'd noticed when she moved her human arm that it was just...sluggish to respond, and not too accurate anymore with precision movements (she had tried to reach out for a glass of water and had ended up knocking it clear off the table with twitching fingers). That was going to pose a real problem to her sword-fighting abilities.

She strode the halls and entered the lobby - where she was immediately set upon by a voracious crowd of onlookers and scroll-wielders. Camera flashes, videos capturing her in real time.

Emerald, Raven, and the unknown woman who could only be the Summer Maiden were already there, standing together.

Emerald was hugging herself, cringing and twitching, now decorated with plenty of burn scars to match much of Cinder's; Raven had her arms crossed, but her face was pale and strained; and the Summer Maiden...had the biggest grin on her face, long braided hair spilling over delighted eyes, despite her own injuries just as horrible as the others.

"Which Maiden are you?" someone called out to Cinder.

"Fall," she said lightly, adopting a smile.

An official Atlas reporter turned to Raven. "And you, ma'am?"

Raven cocked her head, huffing. "Spring."

"And what about you, miss...?"

"Me? Oh - Winter," Emerald said quietly, drawing in on herself.

"And that would make you-"

"Summer, obviously," spoke the Maiden in question, cocking a grin and brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Yelling outside, gasps and shouts, people rushing into the building.

"What's happening? A Grimm attack?"

Faces of sheer terror, trembling and drawing nearer to each other.

The four Maidens looked at one another; they nodded to each other, and rushed out the front entrance as one unit.

Cinder looked around empty streets, then lifted her gaze high. She wished she hadn't.

A rippling black figure, surrounded by purple magical outline, was swiftly descending from the sky.

Terror and rage alike gripped Cinder's soul.

Salem was coming, and she was coming right for them.


	15. Salem

Salem descended from the sky, shrouded in black magic.

She touched down gently in front of the hospital, magic rippling dark red and black, casting off in tendrils of ancient evil and raw power.

Her scarlet eyes glowed, locked onto the four women who had stepped out the front entrance to stand before her - between her and the citizens inside the building.

All four Maidens ignited their eye flames, spurring their powers on.

"So," Salem began, soft, quiet - controlled. "the four of you held up the sky together: congratulations. I admit, I never would have thought the paltry magic divided between you by dear Ozpin would _ever_ be enough to do something like _that_. But you did it."

"That's right: we held up a city. You think we can't keep _you_ at bay?" Cinder said fiercely, splaying her hands and shrouding them in flames.

"Oh, no, I think you very well could," Salem agreed loftily. "As frustrated and hurt as I am by your betrayal, child, I'm still quite proud of all you've accomplished lately. You've done more than I ever dreamed you could, even with that power. But, I don't think there's any need for me to fight you; because none of you are going to try and fight me."

"And why is that?" Raven said hotly, hands on hips. She was quivering, but she lifted her head and jutted her chin despite it.

"Because if you try and stop me now, achieving even any temporary victory, I will make it my personal mission to kill every last person you love in this world. But not...before I subject them to millennia of learned torments and tortures - I'll leave most of it to your imaginations. But you're a clever group of girls, I'm sure you can think up all sorts of things. This is my offer to you: agree to stay out of my way, and I will leave your loved ones alone." She hesitated, her expression changing. Softening, becoming... "The Maidens have no place in this conflict - they never did. This is between Ozpin and myself; I won't see you four caught dead in the crossfire again."

"Again?" Cinder questioned.

"Do we have an agreement?" Salem went on, face dark and hard again, tone brisk and sharp.

The Maidens looked at each other.

"Yes," Cinder said quietly. She let her flames extinguish, relaxing her hands.

"Yes," Raven agreed swiftly.

"Yes," Emerald said, voice shaking.

"I'm outvoted; fuck it, I agree," spoke the Summer Maiden, throwing up her hands.

"Very good." Salem gave a wide, motherly smile. "I just knew you'd make the right choice. Enjoy your time in the spotlight, then. Tend to your wounded, recuperate yourselves further. Spend all the time you like with your loved ones...safe and sound. So long as you abide by the terms of our agreement." She paused. "Oh, and I'll be wanting the lamp in two days time - or I will personally return to this city to take it back myself. And I will kill every last man, woman, and child that crosses my path."

Salem was outlined in purple magic, and she flew up into the sky again.

The Maidens looked at each other.

"We were lying to her, weren't we?" Raven asked, hesitant.

Cinder smirked. "Yes, we were."

"I was afraid of that." Raven muttered.

"We w-were?" Emerald whispered. "I didn't even realize you weren't being serious..."

"That's why it worked," said the Summer Maiden, laughing. She clapped Cinder's arm. "Good going there!"

"Okay, who even are you, and how did you know to come here?" Cinder snapped out, shrugging the woman off her. "I know how _Raven_ did it - her Semblance was likely going haywire, with every single person she has a _bond with_ overwhelming her at once with feelings of mortal peril in the same location, and she just _had to_ investigate that - but you?"

"Me? The name's Sinna - and, I came here because of my Semblance too," she explained casually.

"What _is_ your Semblance?" Cinder pressed.

Sinna gave a shrug. "It's hard to explain; let's just say I can sort of sense when something important is going to happen in the world - a...a _shift_. You could call it a turning point of destiny. And I knew I was needed here for that. That's all. So I showed up - waited around a while - saw a city falling out of the sky. That's a pretty big fucking shift in the world. But I think now it also meant revealing these powers of mine, and that- evil grimm-looking queen that just floated down from the heavens."

"Good for you," Raven told her snarkily. She turned back to Cinder. "So, tell me: just _why_ did we lie to Salem's face?"

"Because: the fact that she felt the need to come down here and make a deal with us at all means that she has something to fear," Cinder said confidently. "She's afraid of us - she sees us a real threat. And that, we can use to our advantage now that we know it."

"And if she _does_ go after everyone we love?" Sinna asked.

"I don't know about you, but everyone I care about is either a trained huntress or huntsman, or they're surrounded by trained huntresses and huntsmen," said Raven, dismissive. "Everyone I care for can take care of themselves."

"Exactly," Cinder said, satisfied. "Those who can protect themselves will, and those who can't - well, either they'll have good people to look out for them, or we'll be there to keep them safe ourselves," she went on, with a look at Emerald that had the girl blushing. "No matter what, we are _not_ allowing Salem to sideline us - because we are the _strongest_ _thing_ standing between her and the innocent people of this world. We're not letting her take our power from us - or our freedom to act."

"So what do we do?" Emerald said quietly.

"We do whatever we can now."


	16. Two Days To Burn

Cinder strode into the building that was acting as a makeshift secondary hospital on Mantle's far side.

She didn't have to do any maneuvering between anyone - they all moved for her. It was good that they did, too; if she'd had to make any extra efforts here, she might not have made it with too much of her dignity intact. Her legs burned and had a tendency to go wide when they shouldn't, or smack into each other and make her stumble horribly - stopping Atlas had really done hell on her body, of a permanent kind (of course, running around Mantle all day long today without stopping probably wasn't helping, but Cinder wasn't _going to stop_ ).

She snapped her fingers at someone and ordered them to take her to the critically wounded patients.

Cinder regretted it the moment she walked into the room.

Jaune Arc did a double take, rising from a chair and reaching for his sword.

She glared at him and swept on past him, moving for the bleeding, out of it man laying on a cot. Grimm wounds - massive bites and claws that had shredded him down the front, taken half his face away.

Cinder dropped down and held her hands over the injured man's body, focusing and breathing - willing her Maiden magic to do its work, in a way she'd never done before: to heal a living being.

She was relieved to see it start to work.

After a minute, she stood again and turned to move for another grimm victim - a small boy with several needles in him, and a great big tube down his throat.

Jaune Arc put himself in front of her.

Cinder gazed at him. "You'd rather block someone from getting medical treatment than let me heal them?"

Jaune Arc glared at her with his hand on sword hilt. "Well, it is _you_ ; your track record speaks for itself - you're more likely to drive a spear through their chest than heal them."

" _They_ don't have time for this." Cinder strode forward, shoving Jaune aside and kneeling down. She put her hands over the child, glowing her palms white as she focused, her eyes lighting up with amber flames. It began to work, just as before.

Suddenly she felt a cold, sharp edge against the back of her neck.

Cinder ignored it, her eye fixed on the boy's stomach wound that was stitching itself back together under her hands.

When she had finished, she stood, slowly, and faced Jaune Arc. One arm came across her body to grasp her grimm limb. His sword was now at her throat, drawing blood with no Aura raised. Silent and still, they stood like this, face to face. The blade quivered against her skin; Jaune's face was twisted with murderous rage. Cinder wracked her brain, searching back through memory - trying to find something, anything. The right thing...the right words. It came to her from a simple spark, a recollection born of shame. "At Haven Academy, when you asked me how I could be so broken inside, to do all the things I've done, and more, to gloat about it like I was proud of it - you were right that I _am_ broken. I am so broken, beyond repair by this point in my life, I think. And I was broken long before now - how else could I have done the things I did? The awful, shameful, disgusting things I did? I didn't care, it didn't matter, I didn't feel a thing from it. Just triumph, victory, power, and security. Confidence. Because I once had none of that, and all I ever wanted in life...was that. So I threw everything away, I shoved every thought and feeling down, in pursuit of just _that_. And I'm sorry I did - I'm sorry for Pyrrha. I'm sorry for all of it. All I want now is to make up for it. To atone. There's...not much else I can do, is there?"

Jaune's face twisted into a snarl, and he had a hand buried in her top and was shoving her to the wall, the blade pressing deeper. His intense, furious eyes bore into her, their faces mere inches apart. "I think there's one thing you can do: you can _die already_!"

"I could," Cinder agreed, fighting for calm. Remorse battling with outrage, and sheer rage at being treated like this - _again_. Countless memories of her stepmother pinning her by the throat... "But then all these people would lose their Maiden protector. Is avenging the girl you loved really more important than the current lives of all these people, all of these families, who could use my powers? Do you want to look that little boy there in the eye and tell him that after you cut my head off? Would Pyrrha herself really think it so noble and good of you to-"

" _Stop!_ " And now that strong hand _was_ on her throat, squeezing, cutting off her airflow. "You don't get to use her against me like that, _after you killed her_! Do you hear me?! _Don't you fucking dare try - don't even say her name again like it means something to you now! It didn't mean a thing when you were driving an arrow through her heart!_ "

 _Enough!_ Cinder's panic and rage flared in tandem, and she shoved out at the boy with Maiden powers, a gust of wind that swept him away and slammed him into the clear opposite wall. She fell, choking and gasping, trembling. She heard his footsteps and his own harsh breaths as she was there on hand and knees. He'd come right back for her, was standing over her now. A familiar situation for the two of them, she thought, recalling Haven.

She stood, still nursing her throat and coughing. She met his eyes and let her arms fall to her sides. When next she spoke, she kept her voice measured, and firm, without being _threatening_. At least, what didn't sound threatening to _her_. "Listen, because I'm only going to say this once: Just because I'm trying to do everything I can to show how much I want to make up for what I've done in my life, and to show how _remorseful I feel_...doesn't mean that I have to sit here and take every bit of abuse and humiliation you people want to throw at me. I'm sorry - but I've had enough of that; my earliest memories in life _are of that!_ And I am _done_ letting myself get treated that way, no matter by who, or for what reason. You're hurting me, yes, good for you - but you're also hurting all of these others here who _need me_ , and I hope you feel good about _that_ as well!"

Jaune Arc stepped toward her, quivering. Sword at his side. His harsh gaze battered at her like any weapon, and then he was whirling away and stalking off out of the room.

Cinder breathed, and then turned her attentions toward the child again - she had to be sure there wasn't still more she could do for him.

* * *

Cinder stumbled along the sidewalk, tripping over her own feet and falling flat.

She caught herself with swift arms and superhuman reflexes, just before her face hit concrete.

She stayed like this a moment, breathing her frustrations with herself; she had places to be, she had people to help. _Don't start failing me, body! Not now!_

"So, you really have realized how much of a monster you turned yourself into, all just for power."

Cinder's head whipped up, to find Raven Branwen sitting on a low wall, legs kicking absent - utterly poised, a smirk on her face. "So have you, I assume, since you're even still here today," she retorted, pushing herself up and brushing herself off. She allowed a smirk of her own to appear. "I would have thought you'd have turned tail and flown away yesterday, as soon as you knew your precious daughter and brother were safe and sound."

Raven snorted softly, tossing her head of voluminous black hair. "Well, it might surprise you to know this, but the whole world doesn't revolve around you; you weren't the only one to get a needed wake-up call after our battle at Haven."

"And how did yours come about, I'm curious..."

"My precious daughter," Raven replied, with a noise that was either a scoff or a laugh. "She's strong - stronger than I am. Her strength made me realize that I wasn't exactly using my own anymore - I hadn't been, for a long time."

Cinder let her smirk fall away. She set hands on her hips, gazed up at the sky. Her legs shook beneath her, which she tried badly to continue to ignore. "Flora Castella is...also strong. Stronger than I am."

The two women tolerated each other's presences in silence.

Cinder let her head drop and met Raven's eyes. "Well, I have plenty of other places to be today - as much as I would just _lov_ _e_ to stand around having a lovely chat with you, Raven..."

"I'm sure," Raven snorted. She made a shooing motion. "Well, don't let me stop you."

"Trust me, _that_ is not something I'll ever let happen again," Cinder responded idly.

"Oh?" Raven cocked her head. Her still-present smirk widened. "And here I thought you'd left that ego of yours behind in the vault. But it's still alive and kicking, apparently...wonderful."

"I really _do_ have much more important things to do today - so, see you around." Cinder held her head high, turned on a heel, and stalked away.

Every step of the way, she willed herself not to trip again like a moron.

As Cinder walked away from Raven Branwen, a thought struck her quite spontaneously - but it hit like a lighting bolt.

She stopped, turned back swiftly. "Raven?"

"Yes?"

"You were a bird - when you came flying in to help me with Atlas."

"Yes, what of it?" Raven said, chin raised.

"That isn't your Semblance, is it?"

"No, it's not."

"Can your brother do the same?"

"Yes. Again, what does it matter to you?"

Cinder wanted to slam her Aura-empowered face through a wall. "N-nothing, never mind! Maybe I'll see you around! Goodbye!"

She hurried away with clicking heels, arms at her waist and her cheeks burning.

_Qrow Branwen, I am legitimately going to murder you the next time I see your face!_

* * *

"Exactly how many times did you see me undress - _Zeke_?"

"Oh, shit," Qrow murmured, choking on his water and hunching over the bar counter. "W-well if you'll recall, I wasn't exactly hanging around you for _that long a time_ , was I? And come on, I mean, you were a potential enemy and I was doing some recon. It wasn't like I was solely doing it to get a peek at that fine- _you_."

"Why do I find that hard to believe."

"Hey, come on now, let's not go dragging up the past when we all just got done mending things with each other - proving ourselves, allying up, all of this good stuff now."

"How much intimate conversation did you hear from me? From Flora? Hell, I told you myself! I-" Cinder's face burned as she recalled her own behavior upon finding a new pet at last. "Ugh! I can't believe I ever- that you just let me-"

"Hey! I was a bird, what'd you want me to do, bite your finger off or something to get you to stop? I had a cover to maintain!"

"Anything I ever said or did was because I thought you were an ordinary bird!" Cinder rattled off in one breath.

"Well yeah, of course! No argument here. Not like I thought you were putting some loving on _me_ , _me_ \- on good old Qrow. I mean damn, I'm a pretty suave guy, if I say so myself, but even I can't pick up chicks as a...chick. Especially not my greatest enemies - former, now, that is, of course. If I could do that, I'd have won my side this whole conflict on pure charm..."

Cinder threw herself onto the barstool next to Qrow, and promptly let her forehead fall flat to smack against the countertop. Her arms moved to cover her head. A lengthy series of growls and snarls escaped her lips.

"Hey, how about this? Why don't I buy you a drink-"

Cinder's head came up in an instant, her eye burning into Qrow.

"-and we can try to just forget about cute little Zeke entirely. Eh? The whole episode - we can just wipe it clean from our minds." Qrow paused. "And nobody else ever has to know about it either."

"Ever," Cinder hissed.

"Never ever," Qrow agreed, holding up a hand to call over the bartender. "What do you want, anyways?"

"Just - anything - I don't care - shut up."

Qrow laughed and turned to the bartender. "Let's see now, could you get the lady a..."

* * *

Cinder strode for the house, stepping in through a broken front door.

She lit her hand up with flames and maneuvered around broken furniture - tried not to look too hard at bloodstained walls.

She moved through a short hallway, passed through a destroyed living room. Stepped around the corner, and entered the first door she found.

It was just like the family had described to her.

She smiled to herself as she entered the small children's bedroom.

Right there on the floor were the two stuffed toys - penguins.

Cinder retrieved them, gave them a few caresses, and tucked them under an arm.

The journey back to the hospital was a short one, and a pleasant one. Entering the lobby was a bit less pleasant.

"Aren't you a little old for stuffed animals?" Yang Xiao Long scoffed, arms crossed, leaned against a pillar of fine marble.

Cinder threw a glare at the _child_. "Aren't you a little too young to be as big of a bitch as your mother already? Or, are you getting a head start on that?"

A high squeal of delight - not terror - echoed through the lobby, along with rapid little footfalls, entirely interrupting any retort that Yang would have come up with; a little girl ran right up to Cinder and threw herself at her. Small arms went around her waist, almost toppling her.

"You found them, you found them!"

"Y-yes, I did - here. Go nuts." Cinder put a ginger hand on the girl's head and pushed her back, shoved the two penguins into her chest. She stepped back as the girl squeezed the poor things to death, swaying back and forth and eliciting more squeals. Cinder put hand to her face, sighing relief. She hurled a satisfied smirk Yang's way, nonetheless, and proceeded deeper into the hospital in search of more needy civilians.

The look on the teenager's face was one that would carry her through the next several hours of the day.

* * *

"I'm sorry about your mother."

"Excuse me?" Cinder snapped.

Ruby Rose shuffled her feet, peered at her in earnest. Hands wrung at waist. "I'm sorry...that Salem did that. I know what it's like to lose a mom. So I just- I'm sorry you had to, too."

"Right. Anything else?"

"N-no...just that. I think..."

"Really? There's _not a thing else_ you might want to apologize for?" Cinder leaned forward, arms spread, hair falling away from her face.

Ruby stared, shivered - looked away. "I...I won't apologize for _that_! It was for Pyrrha. You had _just killed her_."

Cinder let loose a growl and straightened up. "It's easy to die - it's infinitely harder to _suffer_ ," she snarled. "And I've suffered more than most in my life!"

 _You little brat! Fair is fair, that was a battle, I was the instigator of that one - but everything I've had to go through after?! My entire body, my lungs, my throat, my eye, my arm?_ She seriously considered just stripping off in front of the girl and forcing her to take it all in, in its entirety. Maybe then the little brat would see she had something real to apologize for - that Cinder had something real to expect one for!

Ultimately, Cinder just shoved the girl away with hand to face and strode past her.

* * *

On morning of day two, Cinder was stepping out of the bathroom of her familiar little hotel room when the door was struck with soft little knocks.

She pulled her towel around her dripping figure and went to answer it.

"O-oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to catch you at a-"

Cinder smiled. "You didn't - come in. Sit."

Blake Belladonna nodded, walking in with grace and perfectly silent footsteps. She sat herself on Cinder's bed, hands in her lap.

Cinder joined her there, grabbing up her brush to attend to her hair.

Blake's eyes roamed her, lips parted, cheeks flushed, and then she looked away quickly. "I-"

"What?"

"I didn't...I haven't ever seen this much of you."

Cinder rolled her eye. "I'd be worried if you had; I certainly wouldn't remember anything like _that_."

"Oh no, I wasn't implying- I just-" Blake floundered, shoulders hunching. Hand coming to her mouth. "It looks so awful. All of that...those are burns?" she finally got out, strained.

Cinder sighed, stroking and patting at her hair. "Yes, they're burns - courtesy of your little red leader. And so is this - and this." Cinder lifted grimm limb to point a claw at her eye socket, and then gave the limb itself a pointed shake.

Blake's eyes were wide. "I didn't realize she'd...d-done so much...so much damage."

"I don't exactly want people knowing that she did," Cinder responded, shaking her head.

"Understandable. Very understandable. You're...not the first person I know who was...who wasn't really comfortable with their injuries. And that's- fine. They are _yours_."

Cinder let silence fester as she attended to herself, methodical and easy.

"It wasn't only what you see on the outside," Cinder spoke again in mutter. "For months afterward, I had troubles on the inside, too - my lungs, my throat. I could hardly breathe without burning pain in my chest. Every second of every day, every breath was just...the worst. I couldn't even talk, or eat or drink much of anything, either."

"I'm...sorry. That really does sound horrible."

A smile crossed Cinder's lips. "Yes, it was."

"W-well, I...you're doing better now, aren't you? A lot better?"

"I am - Silver Eyes don't trouble me anymore. It's what I did for Atlas that's giving me issues lately..." Cinder murmured, turning her head.

"I can only imagine. The state you were in afterward...I can't really imagine it would be something you just recover from in an afternoon. Not totally. Not even with Aura."

"So far, that's spot on," Cinder agreed.

"What- kind of troubles are you having?"

"What?"

Blake flushed pink. "No, I'm sorry - it isn't my business. It's no one's but yours. That was rude of me."

Cinder looked at the girl. "It's nothing that will keep me from doing what I can out there."

"I'm sure!"

Cinder judged her to be sincere about that; she smiled again, a bit brighter this time.

* * *

After two straight days of fighting grimm, saving civilians, and moving supplies, Cinder found herself on a rooftop in Mantle, under shadow of Atlas.

Just sitting there, breathing hard and letting her body heal over as best it could. But sheer exhaustion wasn't easily fixed.

After a while, someone else found her there.

"Flora," Cinder said softly, turning.

Flora said nothing, just came to sit down beside her on the cold roof.

"Where's Maggy?" Cinder asked, dredging every bit of energy she had left up out of her soul. She was trying not to just lean back against the offline heating generator.

"With Blake."

"Good." Surprisingly, today Cinder had learned that the girl was about as good with Maggy as Neo - though, much less refined about it, obviously. More prone to panicking.

Flora looked down, away. Silence between them, for long minutes on end. Neither one was going to be the one to break it. It was...the most comfortable they'd been for a long time with each other.

Cinder chose to break it anyways.

"Would you like to fly?" she blurted. "This time, you know, without the threat of an entire city falling out of the sky..."

Flora gave her a look, and stood up. "I would, actually. Thank you for asking."

Cinder stood too, hand wringing, cheeks hot. "Well- when you're ready...just...hold on tight and don't let go."

Flora rolled her eyes. "Front or back?"

"Whatever you're comfortable with."

"Back, then. It'll be familiar enough for us..."

"I- suppose so."

Flora's arms wrapped around from back of Cinder's neck, her body and weight pressing to her backside in full. Her warmth, her...

Cinder lifted off, gently into the night air - but she didn't go too fast, or too high; nowhere near the grimm lurking in clouds above, swarming and impatient for the order to descend again. Nowhere above the skyline of Atlas.

"You know," Flora began to speak, right in Cinder's ear. "just because you're trying to make up for everything and be a better person, doesn't mean you should be running yourself ragged, scraping yourself to the bone, every moment of every day out here. You do need to be in your best shape to help people effectively. And this is coming from me, Cinder: you shouldn't kill yourself all the time trying to redeem yourself. We believe you - I believe you're sincere. Maybe try to sleep sometime, heal your injuries up. Stop throwing yourself at every grimm you see. If you aren't taking care of your own needs, you're not going to be too great with others. It's admirable, it's wonderful, it is, but...like I said, even from me, I think that you need to take some time in life to fix yourself up too. Care for yourself, too. Eating, sleeping...even having fun sometimes. Do you even remember fun?"

"I don't deserve fun..."

"Self-pitying crap isn't going to help either. You should probably stop that, because it's not helping anyone. Or yourself. Just...throttle back, please. Or you're no use at all."

"I..."

"Why did you ask me to fly with you if you didn't want to enjoy yourself in life ever again? Or, wait, is this not even fun for you?" Flora remarked. "That hurts, if that's how it is."

"N-no, of course it's- I meant-" Cinder sighed.

"Please. Agree to stop spending every literal second of life throwing yourself at grimm, and offering yourself up for every little task someone wants doing. Try to remember to still live for yourself a bit."

"I- what even is there to live for, for me? Besides this?"

"Whatever you want to. Make something for yourself. Like anyone does in life. The point of life, Cinder, is that it's _your life_."

"I...okay. Right."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really," Cinder said dryly.

Flora laughed. "Thank gods; I actually didn't think I would get through to you!"

"Well, you have. Congratulations."

"There's what I missed..."

"You missed me?"

"I told you two days ago, back in that crater: I'm obviously insane now. All that time spent with you, all this time now spent with magic and monsters and evil queens...I've clearly just lost my mind. So, alright, screw it - I missed you."

"You shouldn't be-"

"Control issues rear their ugly head again - not that I don't understand where they come from."

"I'm...sorry. I just _really don't think_ -"

"I don't care; it's my life, not yours. I decide what I do in it. Even if it's making a probably, flat out insane choice to keep interacting with you. You've at least proven you're safe to be around - and I do believe you that you've changed, that you want to make up for everything. You've proven that more than enough lately, to not just me, but everyone. The whole world, two whole cities worth of people. A pack of savvy huntsmen. So maybe...maybe that's all you can do, really. And I'll just accept it."

"Okay..." Cinder sighed. "If that's- what you really want."

"It is."

"Then, okay. Your choice."

"Now you're learning." Flora's voice held a smile.


	17. Victory Is In Illusions

"Salem will be here within mere hours - do we have any kind of plan?"

Cinder, Raven, Qrow, Ozpin, and Neo and Emerald sat together in the empty, dimly lit bar in early hours of morning.

"I've been thinking on one," Cinder spoke up, nursing her drink on the bar counter.

"Of course you would be; you're a regular mastermind," Raven snorted.

"Thank you," Cinder replied, smiling.

"Let's hear it then," Qrow shrugged. "I've got nothing - I'm not the guy who makes the plans."

"I am interested in hearing what you have to say," Ozpin spoke, earnest and quiet.

"Well," Cinder began slowly. "we know she's coming right for the Relic - but likely not _only_ the Relic. With Tyrian dead, and Watts still around...it's likely she'll send him on another objective elsewhere. Either to sow some chaos, as Tyrian was originally meant to, or to kidnap Ruby Rose. Ever since Beacon...Salem instructed me not to kill her. I never found out why. But she wants Ruby for something, and if we're all going to have our hands full with this invasion, and her finally attempting to get the Relic...it's likely she'll take the opportunity to get at Ruby too. While she's...distracted, and less defended than usual."

"Of course..." Ozpin murmured, his eyes lighting up.

"Of course _what_?" Cinder questioned instantly.

Ozpin gazed around himself, as if surprised to find others there with him. He sighed. "I...believe I know why Salem wishes to capture Ms. Rose."

"Well?" Raven said, raising an eyebrow.

Another sigh. "What I am about to say is something that more of you in this room _don't know_ than do." His eyes went to Raven, to Cinder, and then Neo and Emerald. "Salem is not some monstrosity apart from humanity - she was not born as some hyper advanced grimm entity. She was human, once, a very long time ago. Qrow knows this."

" _What?_ " Raven erupted, turning on her brother. "And Ozpin told _you_ this and never me?!"

"It was not something I ever intended to tell anyone," Ozpin spoke quickly. "But recent circumstances dictated otherwise. Now, the information about Salem is that-"

"The short of it is that Salem used to be a normal old woman who got cursed immortal by the Brothers Grimm," Qrow interrupted. "and in an insane suicide attempt she threw herself into a grimm pool - which ended up corrupting her with grimm essence, making her crave destruction and death...and gave her control over the grimm themselves, too."

"Y-yes...that is the short version of it all," Ozpin agreed, discomforted. "Now, that comes to the reason why she wishes to have Ms. Rose: her eyes. I believe Silver Eyes to be a great threat to Salem's current powerset. Rather, if Ruby Rose were to hit her with a powerful enough blast, it would likely do away with her grimm corruption, leaving her an ordinary but still immortal human woman again. It would likely also sever her control over the grimm entirely, being no longer grimm herself at all. And, with her corruption gone, her desires _of_ grimm - for death, destruction of all - gone from her for the first time in a very long time, I-" He paused, bowing his head. Carefully avoiding all eyes as he spoke on. "With her soul cleansed and her mind cleared...I...I believe I could sway her. Reason with her. With a little helping hand, that is," he finished, with a look to Emerald.

"M-me?" Emerald stammered. "How could I help _you_ with something like _that_?" She looked quite overwhelmed with all of these new revelations.

"Your Semblance," Ozpin explained. "It has always been an extremely powerful one - and it's only grown more so. Especially since Haven. Am I correct?"

"Well, yes...but what's your point?"

"If we were to manage to get close enough to Salem, to get her isolated, I wonder...whether or not you could use it on her?"

"I should be able to - even her," Emerald said quietly. "But I've never even thought to try...not with _her_."

"Naturally. But I believe you can."

"What would you want me to even make her see?"

"Myself as I once was," Ozpin said, looking down at his hands. "Millenia ago. When I first met Salem to begin with. I can use a miniscule amount of my magic to allow you to see my original form - to use it against her later. If the situation is right, that is. My hope is that that, combined with losing her grimm corruption, would be enough of a shock to her mind and soul to allow her to be open to listening to me. To allow me to reason with her. Or, at least, to try."

"Why?" Cinder asked.

"Well, look at what has changed with yourself lately," Ozpin said pointedly. "All because your mind and soul were changed, because you came to realize...because you accepted...If it can happen for you, why not for her? If you deserve the chance we are giving you now, why shouldn't she deserve one last chance as well?"

"Damnit," Cinder muttered, looking away. "Fine - Emerald, you can help him with that - but I doubt it's going to have any effect on her whatsoever."

"All I have is the hope that it will," Ozpin responded lowly. "Now then, your plan?"

"Well..." she began again, blowing a breath. "My plan is something along the lines of leading her where she wants to go anyways - or, letting her believe she's winning over us. We do this, she takes the Relic of Knowledge - which is now useless to her anyways - and all the while we have a small team ready to make a move against her specifically. Your plan integrated into my plan," she mused. "Qrow, your teams, my- friends- they can all stay down here and defend Mantle, and the Maidens can even fight against Salem. But when the time comes...say, when she has the useless Relic of Knowledge, and when she's secure in her own victory, that will be when Ruby, yourself, Emerald and I will follow after her covertly to her castle atop the grimm whale to make our strike. Emerald can cloak us from the grimm and Salem with her Semblance, and Ruby Rose can use her Silver Eyes before Salem even knows what's hit her. Then, you can make your little attempt to reason with her, while Ruby and I leave with _both_ the Relic of Knowledge and Creation."

Cinder hesitated, eyeing Raven. "Whether or not any of us makes it out of that castle, if, let's say, a generous twenty minutes have passed and you and Sinna haven't seen us emerge...I want you two to fly up there and blow it out of the sky. Take it all down. Us and Salem with it. It will destroy her invasion force either way, and cripple her severely."

"I can do that," Raven said, no hesitation whatsoever. "I'll tell Sinna to stand by for that."

"How is Ruby supposed to be running around with you guys on this strike team if Watts is going to be down here looking for her?" Qrow asked. "Won't he just alert Salem the moment he sees Ruby going off with you? Alert her to the fact that you're all coming her way, making a move on her stronghold? Salem would guard both Relics, and herself, with everything she has, then."

Cinder thought a moment. "Then we'll let Watts believe he's engaged with Ruby Rose herself, while the real Ruby is with us; Neo can do that perfectly with _her_ Semblance, and her fighting skills. I'm sure she can imitate the girl's style - but to make it complete she'll obviously need her weapon."

Neo gave a serious nod, crossing her legs and sitting up proper on the bar stool.

Qrow barked a sudden laugh. "Ruby would never agree to part with her Crescent Rose like that! Let alone let someone else use it!"

Cinder glared. "Ruby won't _need_ her weapon anyways; she's going to need to be focused on those Silver Eyes of hers."

"Hey, I agree - if we're gonna sell this thing - but I'm just saying..."

"Convince her, then," Ozpin intervened swiftly. "Please."

Qrow nodded. "Of course."

* * *

Salem descended on schedule at first light, landing before the Maidens in middle of downtown Mantle.

"Now, then: I believe your deadline is here. What will it be? Surrender the lamp, or force me to search for it myself?"

Raven smirked at her, laughed high. "I think I'll choose the more enjoyable option: watching you work for it!"

Salem's scarlet eyes flickered from Maiden to Maiden. "Is this a stance you're all in agreement on? Speak up now, please. This will be your only chance."

"It is," Cinder said simply.

Salem smiled wickedly. "Disappointing."

Black and red magic burst from her in zigzagging tendrils - each one found a target, blasting the Maidens back through a building. The entire building - from front entrance to back, clear into the next street over.

The four women lay together, sprawled, their chests burning with a pulsing red spot.

"Did we _really_ have to just take that?" Raven groaned, clasping a hand to her chest, her palm glowing white; the red spot faded, leaving a scorch mark behind.

"It was for- the plan..." Cinder gasped, rolling onto her side and pressing both palms to her own chest. "So, yes." She looked to Emerald, half reached for her. "Are you okay?"

Emerald's high, pained moans eased as she tended to her own wound, sitting up. She looked down at herself, then to Cinder. "I think so...God that really hurt..."

"Aren't you all glad I taught you the healing trick?" Sinna said, self satisfied, the first to rise to her feet - her wound was far less visible than the others.

"We're jumping for joy here," Raven retorted, standing - still rubbing at her chest. "At least it's over with."

"Time to move on to phase two now," Cinder spoke, trying not to wince at her injury - or fall over on wobbly legs. They'd been giving her so much trouble the past few days that she considered just flying everywhere from now on. "With any luck, this will all be over soon."

* * *

Yang stepped out onto the streets with Ruby, fighting the grimm that had invaded Mantle again. For the last time.

Ruby was intensely focused as she twirled her scythe, propelled herself on powerful sniper rounds, all around the grimm.

She was graceful and swift, more so than Yang could ever remember her being before - she grinned to herself at the thought that her little sister was becoming such a competent fighter, a skilled huntress in her own right now.

They finished off several ursai, along with some Manticores, and paused for breather.

"You ready for more, sis?" Yang said lightly.

Ruby turned to her on a heel, gave a firm nod and a grin of her own.

"Right, let's get back to it-"

A powerful dust round came flying out of an alley; Ruby twisted aside, dodging it like a perfect ballerina.

Yang raised her eyebrows. "Woah. Nice one, sis."

"I'd be inclined to agree," a voice spoke, as a man emerged from shadows of the alley. Tall, with a moustache, nicely tailored clothing, and a multi-barreled pistol. "Remarkable reflexes for a girl your age - and size."

Yang eyed the man, bringing her gauntlets up. This had to be him: Arthur Watts. Of course Salem would send in her last living lackey to sow some chaos as she searched for the Relic. Only...

"Why show your face to us like this?" Yang called out, taunting. "Two on one, and we don't even _have_ the Relic of Knowledge with us, you know that?"

"Oh, I know," the man assured, smooth and calm. His gaze found Ruby. "But I'm not after the Relic - Her Grace is quite capable of handling that herself. No, I'm here on order to retrieve young Ruby Rose there, and bring her back to Lady Salem in her castle above."

Yang's grin grew fiercer. "Hah! You think you can pull that off? Really?"

"I wouldn't dismiss me so easily, dear child - you've no idea my capabilities."

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea," Yang retorted. "And I gotta say, I'm not impressed by what I've heard. Ruby and I will be the ones taking _you_ down, and in - won't we, Ruby?"

Ruby gave a nod, squaring her shoulders and bringing her scythe up with a twirl. Then, she lunged right for Watts with a wide sweep of her weapon.

* * *

"Someone stop her!"

"We're not letting her get near that Relic!"

"Sinna, move your- _agghhh!_ "

"Cinder!"

Salem waved a hand, flinging the Maidens away from herself. Her lips curved. "You four truly believe if you _hound me enough_ , you can keep me from locating the Relic? I can continue this search forever if I must. Surely you all know that by now."

"We're not letting you get to it, I don't care what you are, or what you say!" Cinder snarled, blasting out flames.

Salem lifted a hand to block them, and extinguish them. "Then we will continue on with this little exercise until you're all exhausted at my feet - at which point, I will kill you like stepping on insects."

"Keep telling yourself that, bitch!" Sinna blasted out with a stream of wild blue lightning.

Salem was shrouded in scarlet energy; the lightning flickered across her body, but to no effect whatsoever. Narrowed, glowing scarlet eyes caused Sinna to slam face-first into the ground, an invisible pressure crushing her backside and damaging her Aura.

"Leave her alone!" Emerald shot out dozens of ice spikes, teeth gritted.

Salem turned and tapped a foot; the ground beneath Emerald's feet exploded, sending the girl spinning wildly through the air. The ice spikes melted before they even reached Salem at all.

"I will find the Relic, you will not keep me from it. In fact, you've been very helpful in allowing me to pinpoint it - several more blocks that way, I think?" Salem mused idly, gesturing. "Tell me, am I getting warmer, or colder? Let's test that..."

She strode down the street with purpose.

Raven came down on her with a dust blade swinging. "Don't you go near- _oof!_ "

Salem tilted her head back, and Raven was stopped dead in the air by a purple barrier - she smacked into it bodily, breaking her weapon on it as well.

"Warmer, then. Excellent."

Cinder growled, putting finger to her earpiece and retreating to a rooftop. "Qrow, Salem is heading in your direction - right for the old man's shop!" she said loudly.

"Already? Shit, well let me just prepare a nice welcome for her..."

"Hurry up with it, then!"

Salem glanced up at her, and musical laughter rang as she moved unceasing. "All of you, so desperate to keep me away...but it's all pointless. I will always get what I want, in the end."

"We'll see about that," Cinder spat down at her, and she leaped to the next rooftop and sent a stream of flames for Salem while she moved.

"Oh yes, yes we will," Salem agreed, luxurious in every step forward.

* * *

"Hey, you kids ready for this?" Qrow addressed Mercury and Miltia both.

Mercury appraised Miltia, gave a shrug. "She's no Emerald, but she'll do."

Miltia gave him a sour look in return, along with her middle finger. "You really know how to flatter a girl."

Mercury offered a smarmy look. "What can I say? I'm a guy of many talents."

"Does that include taking a blade up your ass?"

"Oho! Does that include taking a boot-"

"Hey!" Qrow snapped out.

"-right up _yours_?" Mercury finished, heedless.

Miltia stalked forward, extending her claws and pointing them at Mercury. "Whose assumption do you want to test out first? I say we go with mine."

" _Hey!_ " Qrow yelled, shoving himself between the two. "This is ridiculous! We're supposed to be setting up an ambush for an evil, ancient, immortal grimm queen, and you two are seriously doing this with each other? Right now?! Come on! You can hash out your unresolved sexual tensions later; we've got real important shit to do here!"

Miltia seethed. "We do _not_ -"

"Look, I honestly don't give a damn who wants to shove what up whose ass - you want to figure that out, do it on your own time!" Qrow interrupted her. "But I'm being serious here, the Relic is top priority, and you two are acting like catty high school students at some-"

"Teenagers really don't make good defenders of the world, do they?" came an amused, feminine voice. "Your mistake."

Qrow whirled, bringing his scythe to bear. "Salem!"

"Did I hear mention of the Relic? Please, pray tell. I've already heard from _other sources_ that it could be found around here. Could you be so kind as to tell me _exactly_ where I can find it?"

"How about I tell you where you'll be finding my claws in a second here!" Miltia yelled, raising her arms. "The answer is: buried in your chest!"

Salem laughed. "That's adorable, dear." She flicked a finger of purple glow, and Miltia's claws were yanked off her and sent flying over the roofs. A second flick, and Miltia went flying through a shopfront, with a great cry and many crashing noises inside. "So, the Relic? I'm still waiting."

Mercury clenched his fists, took a step forward. "You're going to have to keep waiting!" He flew at her in a flying kick.

Salem narrowed her eyes, and Mercury was caught in mid air, shrouded in purple energy. His legs were torn off, and his body was contorted something awful with crunching noises. His Aura screeched and shattered near instantly. Ignoring his incoherent screaming, she tossed him aside with a toss of her head, and stepped next toward Qrow.

"Ozpin's right hand man, if I'm not mistaken - so glad to meet you at last," Salem spoke pleasantly. "I've heard many things about you."

"And I've heard plenty about you," Qrow responded. "Like how you killed your own daughters."

Salem's face twitched violently.

"I don't know about you, but I'd do anything to protect my nieces - keep them safe, happy - and never hurt them." Qrow gazed at her evenly. "So what the hell is your problem?"

Salem screamed, blasting out a wave of red and black magic for Qrow.

Qrow turned into a bird and flew up over it. He did a loop and reverted on the downward swing, using the momentum to fly for Salem with his scythe spinning.

Salem reached up a hand and grabbed his scythe - held him there a long moment, harsh breaths escaping her lips.

Qrow fired, blasting himself away from her and flipping backwards. He hit, low on a knee, and rushed for her again with a sweep for her waist.

Salem simply glided backwards, avoiding it entirely.

Qrow twirled thrice and came down at an angle to cleave her from shoulder to hip; Salem leaned backwards and aside, a smile on her lips, and his scythe carved down empty air in front of her. He leaped left, forward, spun back around for her exposed backside! But Salem turned and quite casually lifted an arm, catching his scythe's blade on it and stopping it in its tracks. Qrow went with it, spinning around the other way, and at last second he retracted it into a gun and fired it at Salem's stomach. She stepped back from the force of it, and whipped her arm up in irritation - Qrow was sent flipping into the air. He turned into a bird to recover, switched back instantly, and began firing multiple rounds down at her from above.

Salem glanced up at him, and the bullets struck a purple barrier. A narrowing of eyes, and the barrier flew up to steamroll Qrow, taking him high.

Qrow slid off of it and blasted his gun to the right, sending him over to land on a rooftop to his left.

Salem waved a hand, causing the building to explode.

Qrow flew forward through the debris, bringing his scythe down for the top of Salem's head.

Salem's hand came up and smacked his weapon away, and then she was grabbing him by the throat and squeezing hard.

Qrow twisted in her grasp and roundhouse kicked her across the face with an Aura burst, causing her to release him and stagger back with a growl.

And then Qrow was leaping and twirling his scythe for her once more, aiming at her right shoulder this time-

Salem reached up and took his weapon in hand again, holding it by the blade.

This time, she squeezed her hand, and magic rippled across Qrow's weapon; it exploded into a thousand pieces, and Qrow was sent flying backwards.

Salem stalked forward, kicked Qrow in the ribs and stomped on his chest, fingers curling at her sides. She raised her hand, fingers curled, as if to choke Qrow from a distance-

 _Boom_!

A powerful dust round exploded against Salem's backside, staggering her. She whipped around instantly, eyes searching.

Mercury was on his side, holding one of his own robotic legs in his grasp like a shotgun.

Salem squeezed her fist and brought her arm up - Mercury floated into the air, dropping the prosthetic in the process. He began to writhe and scream, his every bone and muscle contorting, contracting, bursting inside and burning all at once!

"HEY!" Qrow yelled, rising to his feet, holding up his hands. "Leave the kid alone! For fuck's sake, you want the damn Relic? Go get it! It's right in there! Just let him go!"

Salem dropped Mercury without care, turning back to face Qrow. Her eyes followed where he was pointing. She raised a hand as she strode past him, flinging him into a wall.

The front of Pietro's shop exploded outward, and she walked through it without flinching.

Salem scanned the room, and her eyes settled on the gold and blue lamp on the counter top. She moved for it eagerly, swiftly, and took it into her hands. A smile graced her lips again, genuine and true as could be.

She spared no more glance to her enemies now than one would spare a bug on the sidewalk; she simply shrouded herself in magic, and ascended rapidly toward her massive grimm whale, and the castle sitting atop it.

"Well...that...could've gone a hell of a lot worse..." Mercury gasped, curled up on his side, arm across his stomach.

"Tell me about it..." Qrow gasped, clutching his sides.

"Can I come out now?" An annoyed voice called from inside a ruined building.

"Yeah, feel free, kid," Qrow responded. "She's gone now." He put a hand to his ear, tapping an earpiece. "She's got the Relic. Phase three now, isn't it?"

"Phase three," Cinder's voice confirmed. "I hope Ruby Rose can pull this off."

"Don't you worry about that - my niece is as competent as they come."

"I'm sure," Cinder snorted, an edge to her voice.

"Whatever - have a little faith, will you?"

"I thought you were a cynicist."

"I am - but I have faith in my niece. And you, too."

The line went dead instantly.

Qrow laughed painfully. "That damn woman..."

* * *

Watts leaped up to a rooftop and ducked around an emergency stairwell exit. He put hand to ear. "Ah, Lady Salem, do respond. It appears I'm having something of a difficulty in...acquiring the Silver Eyed girl, as per instructions. Unfortunately, I humbly submit that I was not the best man for this job - though, of course, understandably I was the _only_ man available for it. I still would ask permission to retreat and perhaps-"

A sniper round slammed into the concrete near his head.

"-What was that, Lady Salem? Ah, so you wish me to continue to...very well. I'll certainly do my best. If you will it truly. Watts, out."

"You know we can hear every word you're saying, don't you?" Yang called out, blasting out a rocket round to explode near Watts' feet, causing him to leap away and roll.

Watts huffed. "Dear child, if I were concerned in any way about your-"

Yang watched as Ruby leaped up to the rooftop and threw herself at Watts furiously. Ruby was fighting fierce and hard, acrobatic and fluid.

Ruby was leaping and flipping, twirling, she was swinging her scythe and firing off sniper rounds to bounce all around a quite out of his depth Watts.

And then Ruby's scythe had turned into its sniper form, and the barrel was slammed up into the man's stomach, knocking him clear off the roof to hit the ground, hard. Flat on his back; his Aura broke completely.

Ruby was jumping down on him instantly. She landed on him, straddled him and placed her sniper rifle barrel down against his chest; Ruby pulled the trigger, blasting through his torso in a spray of blood and gore.

Watts gasped horribly, and was left clutching at his gaping wound.

Ruby straightened, stepped off of Watts, and rested her sniper rifle across her shoulder as she turned to meet Yang's gaze.

"R-Ruby?" she whispered. How could her sister just...It was necessary, but Yang knew how much it had messed up her and Blake, taking that first human life. And here Ruby was, and she'd just...Yang had secretly hoped she'd never have to see her sister deal with this sort of turmoil and trauma, in aftermath of taking a life. That she'd stay the same bright, wonderful girl she was forever...

Ruby's lips curved into a smirk; her body rippled over with pink light and shards of glass.

"Neo?!" Yang stared, bewildered more than anything. "What were you- why did you- but then...where the hell is Ruby?"

* * *

Ruby and Cinder strode the castle corridor in silence and swiftness, Emerald walking along behind them, her eyes furrowed in absolute concentration. Ozpin was bringing up the rear.

Cinder came upon the doorway, wide open, where inside Salem sat on her throne. The Relic of Knowledge and Staff of Creation were both in the room with her, right next to her throne.

She gave a nod to Ruby, who nodded right back, face twisted with determination. She gave Emerald a glance, a smile, and a stroke of the arm. Emerald beamed, adoration shimmering in her eyes; she resolved herself even more, maintaining her Semblance even as she winced with great stabs of pain. And finally, she looked to Ozpin. The reincarnated wizard looked nervous as hell, but he nodded to her, all the same.

Cinder led the way right into the chamber, flaring her Maiden eyes.

She stopped a good dozen feet from the side of Salem's chair.

Ruby came up next to her, eyebrows knitted together. A tiny inhalation of breath.

Those silver eyes glowed - Cinder flashed her palms blue, forming thick ice over Salem's arms and legs, binding her to her throne, while simultaneously making a _jerking_ motion that sent the Relics zooming out into the hall - and they flared, blasting out to fill the entire room.

Salem was shrieking, screaming - and so was Cinder, fallen to the floor and writhing.

Emerald rushed in and seized Cinder's arms, dragging her back out into the hallway, gritting her teeth with the strain of it all.

Cinder was taken in arms by Ruby, who had clipped the lamp to her belt and taken the Staff under an arm, and was dragged away down the corridor with grunts of exertion from the girl.

Ozpin raced inside with Emerald in tow - Emerald, who was now entirely focused on Salem alone.

Salem, who had slid off her throne, was laying on her side on the floor, who was heaving and gasping.

Salem, who was now just a woman of pale skin, blue eyes, and long, lovely tresses of blonde hair.

"Salem!" Ozpin got down beside her, he grabbed her shoulders and turned her over, took her into his lap.

Salem gazed up at him, her eyes fluttering. Utter confusion written on her face. "O-Ozma...?"

"I'm here for you - I came for you."

"How...how is this possible?"

"Salem...I saved you once, I took you from that tower - I fell in love with you. We had _children together_. We had a home. We had each other. And I still love you, and I know you were not in your right mind when you did what you did! And I...I want a home with you again, I want to have you again. Please, dear, let me save you again - let me take you away again. We can stop all of this, we can leave all of this behind. We can be together again, just the two of us. Just not this...not anymore. Please. It has to end. It's been thousands, millions of years untold, and quite frankly, I'm tired of it. Aren't you tired of it all, too? Don't you just want to...lay down again? Laugh, talk, enjoy yourself? Have love and trust again? The simplest of lives...that I fear you've long forgotten. But that you used to take so much joy in! Every little thing - a flower, the sun's warmth, holding our daughters to your breast...Don't you remember how good it made you feel, how wonderful it all was?"

Salem was quiet, and still. Face flushed, mouth working silently. Eyes shimmering, jittering with untold conflict. Emotion bursting. "Y-yes...I'm tired, too. I miss...everything. I do remember, and I miss it all. I miss them, I missed _you_ , Ozma! All that we used to have, I miss adventuring with you, I miss just..."

"Then come away with me now. Come on now, love." Ozpin held his hand out to her.

"I'm...not sure I...it's been so long, so much has..."

"I'm sure, Salem. Just trust me again, please. We can end all of this. We don't have to fight, or hate anymore."

Salem nodded, reaching her hand up...

And suddenly Emerald fell to her knees, grasping her head and screaming through clenched teeth.

Salem's gaze shifted, she blinked at Ozpin. Down at him, now. At Oscar's face. Fury and hatred etched in her face; she exploded with power, sending Ozpin flying - and Emerald, too. " _You liar! You disgusting liar! You came to me with the Silver Eyed girl, with two of my Maidens, and you try to assassinate me! Murder me while I'm helpless! All of you, together! You ruined me, you- lessened me! Look what you've done to me!"_

"We did not ruin you, we fixed you! Changed you back into the woman you always were!" Ozpin insisted.

"I was never this woman, this form - don't you understand that?! What I became on my own, after millions of years alone on this planet, that was who I always was, who I wanted to be! This is who I am, who I still want to be! And that is never going to change, not for another million years untold, Ozpin!"

"Then I suppose I will have to hope for you, and hold onto my love for you...for another million years," Ozpin said softly.

Salem bared her teeth, and blasted out at him with raw magical energy, annihilating him from existence.

Her furious blue eyes settled on a terrified, wounded Emerald.

Salem began to advance on the girl, lightning swirling and crackling around her. "You escaped me in the vault before; you won't escape from me _this time_."

* * *

Cinder leaped off the side of the grimm whale, into open sky with Ruby Rose on her back - and in her arms, the Relic of Knowledge and Staff of Creation.

She tumbled more than flew, really, this time.

She managed to swivel around and hover unsteadily, setting her eyes on the swirling core of the giant grimm.

Raven and Sinna came up to join her.

Together, the three of them unleashed pure Maiden fires on the grimm's core.

They burned through, and then burst through - right to the other side of it.

Hundreds of Manticores and Sphinxes surrounded them in frenzy, as the massive whale began to plummet to the tundra's open expanse - castle atop it and all.

When it hit, it shook the world with a thundering crash. When it disintegrated, and the castle fell from open air, it hit just as hard, and shattered into great pieces and shards.

An otherworldly scream echoed throughout the land, and dark red magic rippled in waves, blasting away chunks of the destroyed castle from a focal point.

The Maidens turned and flew back for Mantle, blasting back at the grimm that pursued them.


	18. Epilogue: The End, And A Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Put on Ruby Volume 7 OST's "Touch The Sky" for a thematically perfect song to go with this final chapter - and Cinder's inner thoughts! :)

General Ironwood approached the cell. Stood gazing in at her.

"Salem has lost her invasion force. She's lost her literal base of operations. She's lost every last one of her core followers - either through defeat or defection. She's lost the two Relics she came here for. And, word has it, she's also lost her connection to and control over the creatures of grimm - and undergone a striking change in appearance because of it. Salem...has been sent fleeing; no sign of her was found out in the tundra, among the remains of her ruined castle. She's alone, and crippled. No power base, no command structure - that's all lost to her now. And it will take her years, even decades to rebuild any of it."

Cinder nodded from the small bed she sat on.

"Given this major victory over her forces, and factoring every aspect of the situation into account - your actions in both Mantle and Atlas these past few weeks, your act of selflessly saving both of them at nearly the cost of your own life, and your full cooperation with brave huntsmen in stopping Salem's invasion force - as well as having listened to the testimonies of my most trusted huntsmen, and dozens of civilian witnesses alike over the last few days...I grant you, Cinder Rynon, full pardon, as well as offer you official citizenship in the Kingdom of Atlas." A pause. "All of that, and the fact that at any time you could blast your way out of this cell and fly off with no effort whatsoever. But you haven't, and I'd like to take that as a sign of faith," Ironwood concluded.

Cinder stood slowly. She walked to the bars, and looked him in the eyes. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Thank Ozpin, and Qrow, and many others out there for taking a chance with you; with the reveal of the Maidens to the world now, and all that you've done acting as such, public opinion in Mantle and Atlas alike are heavily in your favor."

"But you'd rather I stayed right here."

"You were still Salem's right hand. Responsible for Beacon, for Haven. For that alone you deserve to be locked up for a lifetime. But, as it is...I wouldn't be able to get away with that, and..." Ironwood sighed. "Salem might have fled, broken and alone, but she still lives. And when she shows herself again, I would rather know that you and the other Maidens would be there to defend against her - and, furthermore, to give the people of Remnant the hope they deserve. Like it or not, you inspire the people, you inspire hope, and optimism in a way only legends made real can. And that is the most powerful weapon we have against the grimm, as much as Salem herself. That is why I am only going to do you one single favor in life: I will do my best to ensure that certain people in this world do not connect you with the woman from Haven, or Beacon. The average person won't be a problem - a voice on a broadcast, or a face on a news bulletin isn't something most would connect to the woman passing them by on the streets. And I've already scrubbed both from most Atlas databases; it will be out of mind, out of sight. At least around here, where all anyone knows about the woman in front of me is that she is a fairy tale and a hero to the ordinary citizen."

"It's pragmatism, then."

"When it comes to Salem, I am willing to do whatever it takes to stop her."

Ironwood opened her cell, and Cinder stepped out.

* * *

"So, I heard you were looking to adopt," Blake spoke casually - and loudly - sitting in the living room of Cinder and Flora's brand new home in Mantle (paid for by the government in full, for services to Atlas' kingdom).

Loud rock music was coming from down the hall, and Miltia's voice was ringing out in guttural intensity to herself alone.

Cinder gave a nod, pointedly ignoring her teenager's antics. "That's true. But what does it matter to you?"

"Well, nothing," Blake said carefully, shaking her head. "Not to _me_. But, it's just that I might know a child in need of adopting. If you'd be willing to take her. She's six years old, and she has no living relatives, no family friends able to take her - she's been in the care of Atlas child welfare agencies for two weeks now. Her father was killed by Tyrian during the election party, and she herself almost died, too. But she pulled through, and now she...she needs a home. A good one. And good parents."

 _Guilt._ "We'll take her."

"Really?"

"Did I stutter?"

Blake flushed, waving her hands frantically. "Right, no, no - of course you didn't! I just...didn't expect it to be this easy."

"Lucky you."

"Not me. Lucky _her_."

"And what's her name?"

"Bae."

Cinder considered it. "Cute."

Blake smiled brightly. "I thought so, too." She cocked her head in the ensuing silence - or, not so silence. "Are you sure you _want_ more children? So soon, too? The one you have already sounds like a real..."

Cinder laughed, soft and true. "We're sure; Miltia isn't our child - we're just giving her a place to stay until she gets on her feet."

"I see." Blake laughed, too.

* * *

Cinder bustled about her favorite, now reopened coffee shop in downtown Mantle.

Shaky hands held a tray, teeth bit into lower lip as a foot nearly caught on the leg of a table.

 _Damn body, work with me here -_ so I can work here!

"Here you are- _girls_." Cinder growled to Team RWBY, all but slamming the tray down onto their table. She eyed the Branwen brat; it had to have been _her_ idea to bring the others here, just to see her on her first day - just to screw with her on her first day!

"Oooh, thanks!" Ruby Rose squealed, snatching up her mug and draining it immediately.

Yang Xiao Long pointed a finger at the tabletop. "You spilled a bit - right there."

Cinder's eyes lit up with amber flames; her lips held back a deep, lengthy new growl.

"Yang, you _said_ you were going to try to let-" Blake spoke quickly, touching Yang's arm.

"Yeah, even Weiss agreed to!" Ruby piped up, frowning.

"I'm still not sure I should have," Weiss muttered, throwing a furtive look Cinder's way. Understandable, Cinder reminded herself - she'd thrown a spear through the girl's gut not long ago, after all.

"I'm just trying to help her do her job right! She has to know this is totally subpar-"

"Yang!" Ruby cried. "Come _on_!"

"Fine!" Yang sighed. "Fine - thanks for the drinks."

Cinder extinguished her flames, and let a breath go. She fixed the fakest smile she could ever manage onto her face. "You're welcome. Now: _Is_ _there a_ _nything else I can get you?_ "

"N-no, we're good here!" Weiss Schnee stammered out quickly, ducking her head and gulping at her frothy drink.

"Good; I'm glad I could be of service to you this _fine morning_." Cinder turned away, her eye searching until she'd found Miltia. Miltia, who was twirling left and right in her red dress, humming and smiling as she prepped more orders like she'd already been working here for years (but then, she _had_ worked in a club before, and doubtless had picked some things up).

Cinder's smile transformed into something real.

It was good to see the girl not moping in a tiny room, stuck with thoughts about ending her own life.

Although...maybe that couldn't be ruled out still; just because she was doing good right now didn't mean...

Cinder shook her head, getting back to work.

If it was still a problem, they'd deal with it once they got home.

* * *

With Flora right beside her, Cinder crouched down before the little girl, placing shaking hands on shaking knees. She wanted to just sit on her ass, but she thought it'd be pretty unmotherly of her. Un...parently.

"Why do you look like that?" the girl asked, brazen, eyes going right to Cinder's missing eye, and the scarring on her face around it.

It made Cinder smile. "Because, a while ago, I was...hurt by someone."

Bae gave a serious nod. "Like me."

"Not quite," Cinder said simply. "But, yes."

"Does it still hurt you?" The girl placed a hand over her ribs, rubbing at it. " _Mine_ does. The doctors said it's always going to hurt."

"No, I don't still hurt anymore. Not from this." _Not from those damn silver eyes - but from stopping Atlas?_ That will _be with me all my life, just like yours._

The girl gave another nod. "That's good."

"Yes, it is."

"Is that arm because you got hurt too? From the person who hurt you?" The girl was eyeing her grimm limb with no fear - but shock, certainly. And a whole host of curiosity.

"Yes," Cinder huffed. "That, too."

If the girl noticed her tone, she didn't show it. "I can't believe I get the Fall Maiden as my mommy now! I was in the hospital when you did that - in Atlas."

"You were up there...when it fell?"

"Yep! It was really scary, but then it just all stopped, and they said it was the Four Maidens from the fairy tale! I always knew you were real! My d-daddy always said it was a storybook...but it wasn't!"

"Y-yes, well...I- I'm glad I saved you."

"Me too. But...why couldn't you have saved my daddy too?"

Cinder couldn't stand it anymore; she dropped onto her knees, relief flooding her. She drew breath, looking the girl in the eyes - at eye level now. "Because...not even a Maiden can save every single person in the world. I was saving...a lot of other people that night, from the grimm. I couldn't be there for you, too. I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

Cinder could tell from the girl's expression that it really wasn't - but she didn't press it further. Just nodded, smiled. "Well...I can promise you that I'll always be there to save you again, if anything bad happens again."

"I know. I'm happy about _that_! I know you will."

"Good."

Cinder hesitated, and then she reached out and drew the child into a hug. She held her, and when she drew back, she made sure to place a kiss on her forehead.

Bae looked utterly delighted about it - Cinder was pleased with herself for that one.

Lisari and Jenna really had been onto something with this stuff.

* * *

Neo sat kicking her feet on the hospital bed, hands in her lap.

The top Atlas doctor finished scanning through the lengthy text document she'd sent to his scroll. He set it aside and gave a sympathetic look. "So then, you'd be looking for something similar to what you were on before - some mix of anti-psychotics and mood controls?"

Neo nodded firmly.

"Well," the doctor began, careful. "let's see what we can do for you. There have been a few advancements in that area these past few years - who knows? It might well be just the help you're looking for." He paused. "Of course, even whatever we can do for you with medicine won't be enough to entirely do away with your...problems. It will make it less frequent, regulate it - _help you to regulate it_ , to recognize it in yourself when it happens and take steps to render yourself harmless - but it can't make it stop completely. For that, we'd need some kind of very expensive, very complicated neurosurgery, which I sadly have to tell you doesn't yet exist to treat your condition."

_That's okay with me. I just want to know I'm going to be safe enough to go back to my friends again - to Maggy again, and even to Bae, now, too._

Cinder believed in her. Cinder had given her the chance to be better, and to stop a girl from doing the awful thing that made Neo feel so awful (at least, in post).

But Neo still had other things to feel awful about. Things she couldn't ever stop, or change.

But they were things she could try to make right with the people she should; just like Cinder was trying now, all the time.

But...how did one even begin to make right- what she'd done? Mentally ill or not? How could any apology ever even be enough? Wouldn't her showing up in that boy's life again just bring it all up for him again? Wasn't that the _last thing_ she should want to do?

 _Okay, maybe let's not start_ directly there _yet_ , Neo told herself. _What about tangentially? I haven't seen my parents in years...maybe I could try doing that? It worked out okay for Cinder..._

* * *

Cinder startled awake in the bed at a hard foot that struck her in the lower back.

_Ugh...I should just take my cue from Neo..._

She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, bringing her hand up behind her head.

An elbow to her ribs had her gasping.

_Okay, that's it..._

Cinder focused her mind; swirling energy rose up over her body.

The next limb to strike her was hardly felt at all.

_Much better._

Still, though she had peace of body, her mind wasn't peaceful.

She stayed up for hours, until sun had come out again.

Until Flora woke beside her.

"Hey..." Flora groused.

"Hey," Cinder returned. "Are you up for another adventure?"

"A real one this time?" Flora yawned.

"A real one."

"A _normal one_? Exciting, not terrifying?"

Cinder smiled. "Definitely."

"What's the adventure going to be? And when would you want to go, exactly?"

"Not any time soon - we have Bae, and Maggy to look after - but...I'd like to find my mother."

Flora's face showed confusion. "Lisari? She's still at the hospital, right?"

Cinder shook her head. "No, I mean my birth mother: Tyra Aryle."

"Wait, you- your birth family's name is Aryle? When did you find that out? Or, did you remember?"

Cinder smirked. "Well, you know how the Relic of Knowledge will be useless for another hundred years...?"

Flora gasped. "That's- you used it? You asked about your birth parents?"

"I figured, if I was going to deprive Salem of it, I might as well get some use out of it myself in the process."

Flora sat up, much more awake now. "That's great! That sounds like a fantastic adventure! A nice, normal, relaxed adventure to find your mother! I _did_ enjoy the traveling with you - I enjoyed all the sightseeing. Just...you know...not everything else."

"I promise you, this time will _just_ be traveling and sightseeing - nothing else."

Flora's face lit up with a smile of radiance. "I believe you."

Elsewhere in the house, at the front door, there came a series of loud knocks.

Cinder jumped out of bed. "I'll get it."

Flora fell back onto the bed, yawning again something big. "Alright, go for it..."

Cinder strode quickly through the house, and opened the front door.

Mercury Black stood there before her, casual as ever. "Hey there."

"Hi." Cinder swept him up and down. "Nice legs."

"Thanks - they were a nice custom job, by that Polendina girl's father downtown. Free of all charge, apparently - for valued contributions during the battle of Mantle." Mercury pulled a face, leaned against the doorframe. "Anyways..."

"Anyways what?"

"Well...I was just in the neighborhood, and I found a stray. I wanted to come ask mom if I could keep her."

The air shimmered around Mercury, and there was Emerald, standing right beside him. She immediately socked Mercury in the arm, glaring.

"Hey, you agreed to go along with it! Don't get pissy because I-"

"I didn't agree to being talked about like a dog in an alley!"

"You _are_ a dog in an-"

"How much do I have to pay you to shut up?" Emerald exclaimed, throwing up her hands.

"Hmmm...let's see...how about: one lien more than the payout I'm getting from the Atlas government."

Cinder threw herself at Emerald, pulling her into a fierce hug.

Emerald buried her head in her chest, sniffling and shaking.

"I'm so glad you're not dead."

"I'm glad I'm not dead, too," Emerald laughed, muffled.

"Oh, sure, Em gets a nice hug right into those things, and what does old Merc get? Nothing at all! Was I sitting on my ass the whole time we were fighting for Mantle, or what? Did I _not_ get my legs torn off by an evil grimm queen? Haven't I always been right by-"

"Shut up, you know I'm glad you're alive too!" Cinder threw out an arm and dragged Mercury in with Emerald by his neck.

"Ow - this is nice. Much more like it."

"Shut up," Emerald muttered.

"Hey, I mean it, I-"

"Shut _up_ ," Cinder advised, mirthful - with a roll of her eye to boot.

"I just wanted to say I'm glad to be here and all!" Mercury said quickly. "You're a hell of a lot better parent than my old man ever was - and you don't even try too hard..."

"Thanks," Cinder said dryly.

"So, when do we get to move in?" Mercury asked. "The stray and the merc don't exactly have homes of their own."

Cinder let them go and stepped back at last. She took Emerald in, sighing with contentment. Then, the thought struck her. "Emerald, how exactly are you still alive?"

Emerald smiled brightly. "My Semblance. The bitch was going to kill me, but at the last second I triggered my Semblance and got the hell out of there - I blew through a wall to do it. I didn't make it out of the castle before it started falling, though. I had a hard time getting out of _that_ mess - and after I did, I wasn't sure where to go or what to do. So I just spent some time wandering Mantle. Then, Mercury here came across me."

"In an alley," Mercury said helpfully.

"I was not!" Emerald snarled.

"You were eating out of a dumpster!"

"Was not!"

"Yeah you were."

"No I wasn't!"

Cinder growled at the pair, catching their attentions. "If _this_ is what I'll have to look forward to if I let you stay with me, then, sorry, but no thanks. Find your own place to stay."

Both looked instantly contrite. "We're sorry! Please just let us stay..." Emerald said quietly.

Cinder huffed. "Of course I will - I promised you, didn't I? That you'd never have to go hungry again, never have to scrounge in some alleyway...or steal. So come on in, make yourselves at home. But if you wake either of my children...well, I still have my Maiden powers."

"So do I," Emerald braved, grinning.

Cinder smiled. "Good. You earned it, and you deserve to keep it."

Emerald burst into tears and incoherent sputtering of gratitude.


	19. A Tale Before: Visions Of Ruin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking inspiration from my favorite series ever of video games, Kingdom Hearts, I give you a secret ending/teaser for the next story - which will be part of a SERIES! :) I'm already planning out the next two...which I guess makes it a trilogy officially. :) :) :) :) I got big plans and I'm super excited to have more fun with RWBY and these characters I love so much! Lots of stuff will be relevant and connected, not just obvious stuff!

**Twenty Years Ago**

"Mommy look what I can- oof!"

_A woman standing atop a building, watching a city fall to grimm - firing an arrow right through a helpless girl's chest - a teenager setting a pack of grimm into a mansion - "Come now, Raven, let her enjoy this. It's a once in a lifetime experience." - "...It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours. But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never have imagined." - "I don't understand. Working with bandits, keeping Ruby alive. What's the point? We're strong enough to take what we want by force." -_

The mother kicked her daughter away from her, face twisting. "Don't touch me!"

"I- I'm s-sorry mommy...I j-just-"

"I don't care! Stay away from me!" she snarled, raising a fist.

The girl toddled back, those sickening amber eyes wide and tearing up. "O-ok mommy...sorry mommy...!"

"Just - get - away!"

The girl fled as quick as she could on little legs.

_I never should have had her! It's too late for that now - but I could still kill her..._

No, she couldn't; she knew she couldn't. It would ruin her life, and she knew she didn't have it in her to murder a child - even one like hers. And...the Order had _ordered her_ to keep the child - to have her in the first place. She wouldn't go against them on that.

But then what _could she do?_

The front door opened. His footsteps sounded.

"I'm home, honey!"

An idea formed. The mother stood, and went to her husband. "I want you to leave."

"What?" The man was thrown, stunned.

"You - leave. Now. And take that little monster with you. I'm done with her, I'm done with you! Leave - _now_!"

"Now hold on, we can talk about-"

"There's nothing to talk about; get out!" The mother shoved out at the man, sending him into the wall. "Get out, take her with you - or I'll throw her out myself!"

"Okay, okay! We're going - if that's what you really want. We'll go."

"That's all I want. I want you and her _out of my life_!"

"We'll leave, then. Just calm down, please."

_I'll calm down when she's gone from my sight._

The mother sat alone, long after husband and daughter had left the house with only a suitcase and a backpack.

Hours later, the shadows on her wall rippled, and out of them emerged the face she'd dreaded seeing, but knowing she would regardless.

**"The Order demands explanation."**

"She had to go; I couldn't keep this up anymore! Not with her! If you could see what I see..."

**"We're aware of what you see. It is because we are aware that we requested you birth her - and keep her."**

"And I did, I tried - but I-"

The shadows snaked away from the wall, reaching across the room to encircle her. A slightest brush with her shoulder brought agony, like a droplet of acid had been dropped on her flesh.

**"The Order will not tolerate further deviations."**

"Or what?" The mother gritted through her teeth, fighting not to scream. "You'll take my sight from me? I'm the only one in this world who can do this. The Order can't afford to lose that - me."

**"The Order can learn to adapt to other methods."**

"But mine is the best method."

**"Correct."**

"Then you won't do a thing to me."

The shadowy tendrils retreated, and whispers indistinct filled the room.

Then, it all fell silent.

**"The Order will entertain you once. We can adapt to other methods."**

"Message received, now get out of my house."

**"Your demeanor is unbefitting of a member of the Order. You lack real faith, you lack true devotion, and you lack absolute clarity."**

"Clarity of what? I'm the one with this Semblance. You're the ones who know nothing!"

**"We know all that there is to know."**

"Except the future."

**"Correct."**

"Then don't talk to me about lack of clarity."

**"We don't refer to knowledge of the future."**

"Then what do you refer to?"

**"The world as it is, and everyone in it - and everything about them. We are everywhere, at all times, and we are always watching. Do not forget this fact."**

"Trust me, I think about that every time I'm undressed."

**"Do not tempt us with carnality...for we have been so long without."**

"R-right. Got it."

**"We are always watching."**

"Understood..." The mother screwed up what courage she had left for one last salvo. "Go watch over the little monster if you're so invested in her."

**We already are, even as we speak with you.**

The shadows on her wall ceased their motions, becoming still and flat again.

The mother trembled, and vomited onto the carpet.


End file.
